Under the 13-point agreement, Turkish military operations will be paused for 120 hours to allow US forces to facilitate the safe withdrawal of the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) from the 20-mile-wide ‘safe zone’ along the shared border, Pence told reporters.
Once the withdrawal is concluded, Operation Peace Spring will be halted completely and the US will lift its sanctions on Turkey.
“Today, the United States and Turkey have agreed to a ceasefire in Syria,” Pence said, following hours of meetings with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and top officials.
“The Turkish side will pause Operation Peace Spring in order to allow for the withdrawal of the YPG forces from the safe zone for 120 hours. All military operations, under Operation Peace Spring, will be paused and Operation Peace Spring will be halted entirely on the completion of the withdrawal,” Pence said.
“Our administration has already been in contact with Syrian defense forces and we have already begun to facilitate their safe withdrawal from the nearly 20-mile-wide safe zone area in the south of Turkish border with Syria,” he said.
“This also includes an agreement by Turkey to engage in no military action against the community of Kobane, and in addition, the United States and Turkey have both mutually committed to a peaceful resolution and future for the safe zone, working on an international basis to ensure that peace and security defines this border region of Syria,” the VP added.
“Once we have a permanent ceasefire, following the orderly withdrawal of all YPG forces, the United States also agreed to withdraw the sanctions that were imposed on several cabinet officials and several agencies.”
Rudaw’s correspondent Roj Eli Zala who is in Qamishli said local people came onto the streets to celebrate the ceasefire agreement.
“As the press conference was still going on the people started shooting into the air. Lots of celebratory fire,” Zala said.
SDF statement
In an official statement posted on Facebook, the General Command of the Syrian Democratic Forces said: “Based on the request and approval of the Syrian Democratic Forces, with United States mediation represented by Vice President Mr. Mike Pence, today, an agreement for an immediate ceasefire between the Syrian Democratic Forces and the Turkish state along the front lines extending from Ras al-Ain/Sari Kani from the east to Tel Abyad city in the west was reached.”
The ceasefire came into effect 22:00 local time (19:00 GMT), it said.
“The Syrian Democratic Forces affirms its commitment to the announced ceasefire, and at the same time calls on the Turkish state to do the same,” the SDF added.
'We will pause but not halt'
Turkey and its Syrian proxies launched a long-threatened offensive against Syrian Kurdish forces on October 9. Air strikes and artillery fire on both sides of the border have killed dozens of civilians and displaced up to 300,000 people, drawing international condemnation.
There have even been allegations of banned weapons being used against civilians.
Speaking at a separate press conference moments after Pence spoke, Turkey’s Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said: “We got what we wanted.”
Claiming the safe zone will be under the control of Turkish forces, Cavusoglu said. “This means that the US has approved the legitimacy of our operations and aims.”
Contradicting Pence, the Turkish FM said: “We will pause but not halt the Operation Peace Spring for 120 hours to allow the PKK/YPG forces to withdraw.”
Cavusoglu said the ceasefire agreement also includes the disarmament of the YPG and the destruction of the group’s bases.
“Taking away the weapons in their hands is not enough,” he said. “It includes the destruction of their fighting positions to an unusable level, to the destruction of their fortifications.”
Erdogan’s scheduled visit to the US is still going ahead, he added.
'We welcome ceasefire, but will defend ourselves'
Mazloum Kobane Abdi, commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), said: “We have accepted the agreement, and we will do what is necessary to help it succeed.”
In comments run by the SDF-affiliated Ronahi TV, Abdi contradicted the Turkish foreign minister, pointing out “the Pence-Erdogan agreement [only] covers the area from Sari Kani to Tel Abyad”.
“The agreement doesn’t cover the rest of the Northern Syria areas, and it will be discussed later,” Abdi said.
“The area should not be changed, and Turkey’s goals in occupying our land should not be achieved … The demographics of the area should not be altered and people need to return to their areas.”
“We thank our fighters for their resistance. This agreement was the fruit of the resistance of our people … The agreement is a beginning, and the Turkish occupation won’t continue. A limit has been set for Turkish occupation,” he added.
Aldar Khalil, a member of the Kurdish administration’s ruling TEV-DEM executive, said they had previously rejected calls to withdraw 32 kilometers from the border.
“The resistance of our forces and people forced the conspirators to [announce] a ceasefire,” he said, according to the Ronahi TV.
According to the Rojava Information Centre, fighting is ongoing in Sere Kaniye despite the ceasefire agreement.
Speaking to the SDF-affiliated broadcaster Robahi TV, Salih Muslim, former co-chairman of the Democratic Union Party (PYD), welcomed the ceasefire deal, but side: “Our people did not want war but it was imposed on them.”
“We welcome the ceasefire, but we will defend ourselves when attacked,” he said.
“Ceasefire is something and surrender is something else, and we are ready to defend ourselves.”
“We will not accept the invasion of northern Syria, and we must see the details of the agreement between Pence and Erdogan,” he added.
'Millions of lives will be saved'
US President Donald Trump, whose decision to withdraw US troops from the Syria-Turkey border earlier this month paved the way for Erdogan's offensive, hailed the agreement on Twitter.
“This deal could NEVER have been made 3 days ago. There needed to be some ‘tough’ love in order to get it done. Great for everybody. Proud of all!” Trump said.
“This is a great day for civilization. I am proud of the United States for sticking by me in following a necessary, but somewhat unconventional, path. People have been trying to make this ‘Deal’ for many years. Millions of lives will be saved. Congratulations to ALL!” he added.
Replying to Trump’s celebratory tweets, Erdogan said: “Mr. President, many more lives will be saved when we defeat terrorism, which is humanity’s arch enemy. I am confident that this joint effort will promote peace and stability in our region.”
Speaking to reporters in Fort Worth, Texas where he’s on the election trail, Trump said: “It’s a great day for the United States.”
“It’s a great day for Turkey. It’s a great day for the Kurds. It’s a great day for civilization. This is a situation where everybody’s happy,” Trump said, according to AFP.
Referring to his Turkish counterpart, Erdogan, Trump said: “He’s a hell of a leader. He did the right thing. I have great respect for the president.”
Asked whether the ceasefire would last, he added: “I think it’s going to last. I think President Erdogan’s very smart,” he said. “He wants it to last.”
What does the text of the deal say?
The agreement commits both the US and Turkey to respect the territorial unity of Syria, to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure, and to coordinate on efforts to defeat the Islamic State group (ISIS).
Close attention, however, will have been paid to the wording of statements concerning the disarmament of Kurdish forces, the management of the ‘safe zone’, and the conditions under which the US will lift sanctions on Turkey.
“The two sides agreed on the continued importance and functionality of a safe zone in order to address the national security concerns of Turkey, to include the re-collection of YPG heavy weapons and the disablement of their fortifications and all other fighting positions,” reads article 9 of the agreement.
“The safe zone will be primarily enforced by the Turkish Armed Forces and the two sides will increase their cooperation in all dimensions of its implementation,” article 10 states.
“Once Operation Peace Spring is paused, the US agrees not to pursue further imposition of sanctions under the Executive Order of October 14, 2019, Blocking Property and Suspending Entry of Certain Persons Contributing to the Situation in Syria, and will work and consult with Congress, as appropriate, to underline the progress being undertaken to achieve peace and security in Syria, in accordance with UNSCR 2254,” article 12 explains.
“Once Operation Peace Spring is halted as per paragraph 11 the current sanction under the aforementioned Executive Order shall be lifted,” it concludes.
Translations by Karwan Faidhi Dri
