Erdogan: We will not allow terrorist organizations to establish any corridor

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has confirmed that the military operation in northern Syria will continue from the point where it stopped if Washington does not fulfill its commitments, while anticipation prevails on the Turkish-Syrian border with the expiry of the deadline for the withdrawal of the so-called Syrian Democratic Forces from the borders of the safe area.

Erdogan said he wanted a lasting peace in Syria, not a temporary peace, adding that "Turkey has not and will not allow the establishment of any terrorist corridor by terrorist organizations."

He stressed that Russia and Turkey are working for the territorial integrity of Syria, pointing out that he will discuss with Vladimir Putin how the Syrian Constitutional Commission can make tangible progress. He expressed hope that cooperation with Russia would "save the region completely from terrorist organizations."

Regarding France, Erdogan said Macron appeared to be seeking some sort of ceasefire in northern Syria.

"We have not received from Macron any offer to extend the cease-fire," he said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will hold talks in the Russian resort of Sochi on the situation in northeastern Syria in light of recent field developments.

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These developments coincided with the atmosphere of anticipation on the Syrian-Turkish border with the end of the deadline set by Turkey and the United States this evening, which imposed a freeze on military operations, provided that the so-called SDF withdraws from the borders of the safe area that Turkey intends to establish along the border with Syria. .

Al-Jazeera correspondent in Tel Abyad quoted sources in the National Army of the Syrian opposition, that the army deployed in several villages, after the withdrawal of what is known as the Syrian Democratic Forces in southern Tel Abyad.

The sources added that these forces attacked positions of the National Army of the opposition west of Tal Abyad, and killed and wounded in the fourth day of the ceasefire in northeastern Syria.

In Manbij, Al Jazeera correspondent reported that hundreds of fighters from the Syrian National Army, displaced and refugees for years from the city and its countryside, are waiting for the deadline agreed upon between the US and Turkish sides to know the fate of their city.

Many of Manbij's refugees and IDPs are counting on Operation Spring to return to their city, especially after the entry of Syrian regime forces following the withdrawal of US forces.

For his part, US President Donald Trump said that the ceasefire agreement between Turkey and the so-called Syrian Democratic Forces in northeastern Syria is holding.

He said during a meeting of his administration in the White House, that the so-called SDF is currently withdrawing outside the safe area, which extends more than thirty kilometers deep in northeast Syria.

Trump said he would keep a small number of US troops in Syria to protect oil sources, as well as in another area at the request of Israel and Jordan, alluding to the Tanf area.

Regarding the oil fields in northeastern Syria, Trump said his administration wants some of its revenue to be returned to the Kurds, and suggested that one of the US oil companies take over the fields.

"SDF"
For her part, Ilham Ahmed, the executive chairman of the Syrian Democratic Council, the political arm of the so-called Syrian Democratic Forces, held talks in Washington with a number of members of the US Congress from both parties.

Elham, through an interpreter, called on the US president to reverse his decision two weeks ago to withdraw US troops from Syria, allowing Turkish cross-border attacks.

"They want to attack us. They want to kill hundreds of thousands of us," the Kurdish politician said.

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said after the meeting that Turkey should stop its military operation and address its security concerns through a demilitarized zone in northeastern Syria.

Graham also blamed Turkey for what he described as the chaos in northeastern Syria that could lead to the return of the Islamic State. Graham added that Elham Ahmed told him that the continuation of the status quo threatens the prisons where IS fighters are located.

German Defense Minister Ingrid Krump Karnbauer has said she will present the project to establish an international safe area in northern Syria for the meeting of NATO defense ministers, which will be held in Brussels on Thursday and Friday.

The German defense minister said the proposal for an international protection zone was discussed with Chancellor Angela Merkel, and was presented Monday to Western allies.