On 20 January 2018, Kino Gabriel, the spokesman for the Syria Military Council was also made the spokesman for the SDF;[2][36] he was succeeded as spokesman for MFS by Abgar David.[3] The MFS also announced their intention to fight alongside the YPG/YPJ against the Turkish military operation in Afrin in early 2018,[37] sending troops from al-Hasakah Governorate to Afrin. The MFS fighters who were still involved in the offensive against ISIL remained in Deir ez-Zor, however, "because our war with ISIS didn’t end".[3] On 7 February 2018 a smaller contingent of MFS fighters arrived in Afrin.[38]