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18 October 2019 The truce announced only a few hours ago wobbles. The Turkish forces and the "factions" affiliated to them have launched rockets against the Syrian city of Ras al-Ayn, located along the border, despite the agreement on a ceasefire that establishes the stop of 120 hours in the fighting in the north of the Syria to allow the withdrawal of the Kurds. This was announced by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a British-based organization linked to opposition activists.
According to the activists themselves, calm prevails in other places instead of theater in the last few days of clashes. Before the announcement of the truce, the Observatory specifies, the Turkish fighters bombed some villages on the outskirts of Ayn Issa, causing several injuries. In addition, 20 people were injured during the celebrations for the news of the halt to the hostilities that were held in al-Hasakeh and Qamishli.
The announcement of the truce
120-hour truce - 5 days - in the Turkish offensive against Kurdish militia in northern Syria. It is the agreement reached in the interview in Ankara between the US Vice-President, Mike Pence, the US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, and the Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The announcement of the agreement was given by Pence, who added: the US will favor the evacuation of Kurdish fighters from the security zone agreed with Ankara.
Turkey: the truce is a "pause" of the operation, stop only after Kurdish withdrawal
The agreement with the US constitutes a "pause" in Turkey's military operations in Syria, which will turn into a definitive end of the offensive only if the Kurds withdraw entirely, as agreed. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said so.
Pence: the withdrawal of the Kurdish forces began
The withdrawal of Kurdish Ypg militias from the Turkish border has begun. According to US vice president Mike Pence, explaining that "our commitment to Turkey is that you work with Ypg members to facilitate an orderly withdrawal in the next 120 hours". The retreat, he added in Ankara, has "literally already begun". The Kurdish forces will withdraw from a "demarcation line" 32 kilometers from the border.
Stop the US sanctions against Ankara soon
According to Pence, after the withdrawal of Kurdish militias from the Turkish-Syrian border, the withdrawal of the Turkish armed forces will begin within five days. After the ceasefire has become permanent, US sanctions against Turkey will be lifted.
The turning point in the meeting mediated by the US ambassador
The Pence-Pompeo-Erdogan meeting that led to the breakthrough lasted an hour and 40 minutes and saw the presence as 'mediator' of James Jeffrey, the former US ambassador to Ankara and the current special envoy of Donald Trump for Syria and the anti-ISIS coalition. Until now, Erdogan had always rejected the idea of a truce, insisting that Ankara would not be frightened by the threat of sanctions.
Confirmed Erdogan visit in November at the White House
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's visit to the White House on November 13 at the invitation of US President Donald Trump was confirmed after the agreement reached tonight between the two countries for a truce of the offensive in Syria, announced the Turkish Foreign Minister Cavusoglu.
Trump: great day, I'm proud of the USA
"This is a great day for civilization. I am proud of the United States for having remained faithful in following a necessary, if not conventional, path." President Donald Trump writes on Twitter after the announcement of a truce in Syria between Turkey and the Kurds. "People have been trying to make this 'agreement' for many years. Millions of lives will be saved. Congratulations to everyone," he added.
Kurds: ready to respect ceasefire
The Kurds are ready to respect the ceasefire with Turkey in the north-east of Syria. Confirmation comes from multiple sources. "We are ready to respect the ceasefire," said Mazlum Abdi, commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces (FDS) in Kurdish TV. The position was also confirmed by a prominent Kurdish politician, Aldar Xelil, in Al Arabiya. Another Kurdish commander, Mazlum Kobani, said Kurdish militias in northern Syria were part of the agreement reached tonight by the US and Turkey for a truce and received "guarantees" on their future from Washington, confirming that they intend to " everything necessary to make the ceasefire work ". "It is a victory for the resistance of the fighters," Kobani added.
The EU condemns the military action of Ankara
"The EU condemns the unilateral military action of Turkey in the north-east of Syria, which causes unacceptable human suffering, undermines the fight against Daesh and heavily threatens European security. The European Council takes note of the announcement by the United States and Turkey regarding a suspension of all military operations, urges Turkey again to cease its military action, to withdraw its forces and to respect international humanitarian law.After the Council conclusions of 14 October 2019, it recalls that some Member States have decided to block the issuance of arms export licenses to Turkey ". This is what was read in the conclusions of the European Council which took place in Brussels. "The European Union remains committed to continuing its efforts to effectively address the serious humanitarian and refugee crisis in response to changing needs, including by supporting Member States that are faced with the most difficult challenges in terms of flows migrants in the eastern Mediterranean ", continues the EU Council, which has reaffirmed" its solidarity with Cyprus "concerning the illegal drilling activities of Turkey in the exclusive economic zone of Cyprus.