Kurds Pulling Out of North Syria as Ceasefire Largely Holds
The north Syria ceasefire brokered between the US and Turkey came into effect on Friday, and despite claims of violations, and a few Turkish airstrikes, fighting is down substantially, and the Kurds are moving out of the “safe zone.”
By any measure that means the ceasefire, if not working perfectly, is working relatively well, considering how much skepticism there was. That said, it’s only a five day deal, and there are already signs it is under pressure.
Read more at https://news.antiwar.com/2019/10/18/kurds-pulling-out-of-north-syria-as-ceasefire-largely-holds/
Kurds Fully Evacuate Syria Border Town Amid Clashes With Turkish Forces
Violence erupts during first pull-back under the terms of a U.S.-brokered cease-fire
Oct 20, 2019
Dozens of vehicles rolled out of a besieged Syrian border town, evacuating Kurdish fighters and civilians and opening the way for Turkish-backed forces to take over in the first pullback under a three-day-old U.S.-brokered cease-fire.
Kurdish officials say the evacuation of the town of Ras al Ain will be followed by a withdrawal of their forces from a broader section of the border with Turkey, a central requirement of the cease-fire deal.
Read more at https://www.haaretz.com/middle-east-news/syria/
Surprise Syria truce hinged on Turkey’s deadline demand – top official
October 18, 2019
The surprise deal to suspend Turkey’s military offensive against Kurdish-led forces in Syria hinged on President Tayyip Erdogan’s demand that Washington agree a time limit on any ceasefire, a senior Turkish official said on Friday.
U.S. Vice President Mike Pence announced the five-day pause in Turkey’s cross-border assault after more than four hours of talks on Thursday at Erdogan’s presidential palace in Ankara – a meeting that began inauspiciously with stony faces and few smiles.
Read more at https://www.reuters.com/article/us-syria-security
Turkey Accused of Using White Phosphorus in Syria Offensive
Posted on The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons is looking into allegations that Turkey has used white phosphorus munitions in its offensive into northeast Syria.
The accusations come from the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), their spokesman posted a video of a child with burns on his face. The SDF asked for international organizations to send teams to investigate the wounds. The Kurdish Red Crescent says there are six patients in the hospital with burns from “unknown weapons.”
Read more at https://news.antiwar.com/2019/10/18/turkey-accused-of-using-white-phosphorus-in-syria-offensive/
Is Putin the New King of the Middle East?
Posted on “Russia Assumes Mantle of Supreme Power Broker in the Middle East,” proclaimed Britain’s Telegraph. The article began:
“Russia’s status as the undisputed power-broker in the Middle East was cemented as Vladimir Putin continued a triumphant tour of capitals traditionally allied to the US.”
“Donald Trump Has Handed Putin the Middle East on a Plate” was the title of a Telegraph column. “Putin Seizes on Trump’s Syria Retreat to Cement Middle East Role,” said the Financial Times.
Read more at https://original.antiwar.com/buchanan/2019/10/17/is-putin-the-new-king-of-the-middle-east/
ISIS stepping up attacks on prisons, Kurds: report
10/18/19
ISIS has seized on instability in northern Syria to launch new bombings and attacks over the last week, intelligence officials and terrorism experts told The Washington Post.
The ISIS attacks follow President Trump’s decision to pull U.S. troops from the region, a decision that allowed Turkey to launch an offensive against Kurdish forces that had been working with the United States.
Read more at https://thehill.com/news-by-subject/defense-homeland-security/466428-isis-stepping-up-attacks-on-prisons-kurds-report
Also read: Operation “Peace Spring” in cartoons (selected by “Colonel Cassad”)
