Syria Kurds withdraw from Turkish border as deadline expires

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Russia’s defense minister has confirmed the complete withdrawal of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) from Turkey’s southern border with Syria, just hours before a deadline for their removal was due to expire. 

Turkey agreed to pause Operation Peace Spring after striking a deal with Russia in the Black Sea resort of Sochi on October 22. The deal gave the SDF 150 hours to withdraw form the entire length of the Syria-Turkey border and agreed for Russia and Turkey to hold joint patrols in the area.

According to Russian media outlets, Moscow’s Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said Kurdish fighters have abided by the deal and left their posts in areas where Turkey plans to establish its “safe zone” to resettle millions of Syrian refugees.

“The withdrawal of armed units from territory where a security corridor should be created has been completed ahead of time,” Shoigu said.    

The minister said Kurdish forces had been replaced by Russian military police and Syrian regime border guards.

The Sochi agreement followed an earlier US-brokered deal, which led to the withdrawal of the SDF from Sare Kani (Ras al-Ain) and Gire Spi (Tal Abyad), allowing Turkey to take control of these towns. 

Celebrating Turkish Republic Day in Ankara, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said his government had been informed by Russia about the SDF withdrawal. 

A Russian military delegation is in Ankara to discuss the implementation of the Sochi deal. 

SDF spokesman Mustafa Bali told Rudaw on Sunday the Kurdish force had accepted the Russia-brokered ceasefire to withdraw 32km from the border, as demanded by Turkey. 

“After a few days of dialogue and discussion between our general commander and the Russian government and army, and in accordance with the Sochi agreement, and in order to protect the security of the region, and halting the dangers of an invasion and a new conflict in the region, our forces, under the guarantor of Russia, are withdrawing from the region as deep as 32 km from the border,” Bali said in Amuda, northwest of Qamishli.  

“And on the basis of the same guarantee from Russia, a political dialogue with the central government in Damascus will start to find a political solution. Our forces will take necessary measures and step on these foundations,” the press spokesman added.

The 20-day Turkish incursion has led to the displacement of 300,000 people and the death of 130 civilians, according to Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR). 

An explosion rocked Darbasiya on Tuesday, narrowly missing a Russian military police unit patrolling the area. Turkey is suspected of shelling the area, but the Russian defense ministry denies it. 

“The information being spread in social networks that Russian military police units allegedly came under fire at the Darbasiyah control point on the Syrian-Turkish border has nothing to do with reality,” the Russian Center for Reconciliation of Opposing Sides’ representative said. 

He added that there were “no casualties among the Russian personnel and the equipment is in working condition”.

“An unidentified caseless explosive device went off near Russian armored vehicles at the Darbasiyah crossing point on October 29 this year during preparations for a planned meeting of Russian military police representatives with the Turkish side.”

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