Syria
Turkish soldiers patrol the northern Syrian Kurdish town of Gire Spi (Tal Abyad), on the border between Syria and Turkey, on October 23, 2019. Photo: Bakr Alkasem
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have come under attack by the Turkish army in three locations in northern Syria, spokesperson for the force said on Twitter early Thursday afternoon, renewing a call for international monitoring of the ceasefire.
“Turkish army have been attacking villages of Assadiya, Mishrafa and Manajer with a large number of mercenaries and all kinds of heavy weapons despite the truce,” Mustafa Bali tweeted. All three villages are located south of Sari Kani (Ras al-Ain), the border town that has seen the heaviest clashes and is now under control of Turkey.
The SDF retains its right to self defence and is not responsible for violations of the ceasefire, said Bali, calling on “all parties and especially the US to monitor the implementation of the cease-fire agreement that they brokered and hold violators to account.”
Mazloum Kobani Abdi, commander of the SDF, accused Turkey of continuing its military action despite statements it was halting military its operation.
"Despite the Turkish announcement of halting military operations, they and their jihadi militias called Jaish al-Watani continue to violate [the truce] and keep on attacking the frontlines in Ras al-Ain," he tweeted.
Telegram channels associated with Turkish-backed Syrian militias reported intense fighting after their groups attacked the SDF in three villages south of Sari Kani, including Manajer.
SDF spokesperson Kino Gabriel said the attack began in the early morning with “a wide ground operation” in the villages that he said are outside of the ceasefire zone. “Those areas are being pounded by artillery and ground attacks, which led to displacement of thousands of civilians who live in these three villages.”
The SDF has returned fire and clashes are ongoing, said Gabriel.
Turkey launched its Operation Peace Spring against the Kurdish forces of northern Syria on October 9. The United States brokered a pause in the operation last week and on Tuesday Russia’s Vladimir Putin struck an agreement with Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan defining control of the border.
That agreement dictates the SDF pull back 30 kilometers from the border within six days. Joint Russian-Turkish patrols will control the border with a depth of 10 kilometers into northern Syria, with the exception of Qamishli. The SDF, which was not a party to the talks, has said it has some concerns about the agreement.
The SDF says it has abided by the earlier US-Turkey deal.
US President Donald Trump on Wednesday hailed the ceasefire as a success and lifted sanctions he had imposed on Turkey in response to the military incursion.
At least 200,000 people have fled the fighting, according to the Kurdish Red Crescent. More than 10,000 have arrived in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, according to the Norwegian Refugee Council.
Updated at 2:56 pm
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