Regime troops pull back after intense clashes near NE Syria’s Tel Tamr: monitor

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Syrian regime forces pulled back from their positions on the Tel Tamr front after intense clashes with Turkish-backed Syrian militias on Saturday, according to a conflict monitor. 

After clashes near Tel Tamr and Abu Rassin to the north early on Saturday, the Syrian Arab Army abandoned their positions, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The regime forces pulled out of at least five villages north and east of Tel Tamr “leaving the SDF alone in the face of fierce attacks,” said the Observatory, referring to the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces.

A number of regime soldiers were killed and injured in shelling by the Turkish-backed militias, the Observatory added. 

Despite two ceasefires reached by Turkey with the United States and Russia to halt its Operation Peace Spring against the Kurdish forces in northern Syria, the fighting has continued with each side accusing the other of violating the truces. 

The town of Tel Tamr lies on the M4 highway, the main east-west artery crossing northern Syria, which Turkey has set as the border for its so-called safe zone, insisting the Kurdish forces withdraw south of the road. It is a strategic town and the SDF insists it lies outside of the proposed safe zone. 

"The Turkish state’s goal is to control Tel Tamr because it is a strategic area and all roads pass through there. Tel Tamr is a smaller version of Syria," SDF commander Mazloum Abdi told Rudaw in an exclusive interview. "It is outside the US-Turkey and Russia-Turkey deals. As per the deals, Turks have to stay outside the area. But Turks want to control there in order to impose their sovereignty."

Syrian state media reported clashes between the regime’s forces and Turkish-backed militias near Sari Kani (Ras al-Ain), but did not report on the withdrawal.

The regime forces were deployed to areas along the border as part of the deal between Russia and Turkey to secure the area against Turkish forces as the SDF withdrew. 

Abdi, late on Friday, accused Turkey of violating the ceasefire. “Turks and their jihadist proxies keep attacking NE Syria and taking more territory every hour,” he tweeted. “On our side we abided by all ceasefire agreement commitments to protect our people from killing and displacement.”

The Turkish defence ministry levelled a similar claim against the SDF. Turkey “fully complies” with the agreements, the ministry tweeted on Saturday, accusing the SDF of “carrying out a total of 8 violations/attacks with mortar, rockets and sniper fire in the last 24h.”

Since Turkey launched its operation a month ago, 151 pro-Turkey fighters have died.  Abdi said the SDF has lost 182 from their ranks.

Ninety-two civilians have also been killed, according to figures from the United Nations. “Of these, 49 were victims of airstrikes, ground-based strikes, sniper fire, and executions carried out by opposing Turkish-affiliated armed groups and Kurdish armed groups,” the UN’s human rights office stated on Friday.

An estimated 80,000 children have been displaced since the conflict began on October 9,
UNICEF tweeted early on Sunday.