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Mazloum Kobani, commander-in-chief of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), Kurdish majority, at a meeting in Hasakah in northeastern Syria on 24 August 2019. DELIL SOULEIMAN / AFP

Kurdish militias in northeastern Syria announce their withdrawal from the border with Turkey. They leave the field free for the creation of a buffer zone, wanted by the Turks and the Americans.

Kurdish militias are beginning to withdraw their troops and heavy weapons from certain positions along the Syrian-Turkish border. This is what a spokesman for the SDF, the Kurdish majority force in the north-east of the country, says.

This withdrawal is a pledge of goodwill after the agreement reached between Ankara and Washington for the creation of a buffer zone between Turkey and Syria. A security zone claimed for a long time by the Turks. They fear on the one hand the influx of new Syrian refugees and on the other hand, the establishment on their border of a vast Kurdish autonomous region, which could encourage separatist inclinations on their soil.

The United States, they want to prevent a Turkish offensive against these Kurdish militias of Syria , who have been faithful allies in the fight against the Islamic State organization in recent years.

A device like Idleb " unacceptable " for Kurds

The creation of this buffer zone was recorded this month after many discussions. But the details of its implementation remain to be clarified.

" Observation points will be set up, but they will be built on Turkish soil, said Mostafa Bali, spokesman for the SDS. As we have said, a system similar to that of Idleb, with Turkish observation points on Syrian soil, is unacceptable. Just as the possibility for the Turkish army to patrol freely. Only joint Turkish-US patrols will be able to move along the road that runs along the border between Turkey and Syria. "

The FDS spokesman warns: " These Turkish patrols will have the opportunity to cross the border, but not to stay in Syria. They will each time have to return to their country. The weapons available to us, which could constitute a danger for Turkey, will be removed from this border area. Our fighters will retreat 5 km. "