Syrian army to the border to face the Turkish aggression .. Russian mediation and US withdrawal and French alert
English - Monday 14 October 2019 الساعة 11:13 am
The Kurdish self-government said on Sunday it had reached an agreement with Damascus that the Syrian army would deploy along its border with Turkey to counter Ankara's five-day offensive against its control areas.
The Kurdish-led administration in northern Syria said on Sunday the Syrian army would deploy along the border with Turkey in agreement with the administration to help repel a Turkish attack.
It added, the deployment would support the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in tackling “this aggression and the liberation of territory entered by the Turkish army and mercenaries,” referring to Turkey-backed Syrian opposition forces.
This would also allow the liberation of other Syrian cities occupied by the Turkish army, such as Afrin, the statement said.
Despite criticism, accusing him of abandoning the Kurds, US President Donald Trump has instructed to begin withdrawing about 1,000 US troops from Kurdish-controlled areas in northeastern Syria, Defense Secretary Mark Esper said.
Trump said at a conference on Saturday that Syrian Kurds should fight alone.
“Don't forget that they are fighting for their land. They did not help us fight for our land. They are fighting for their land and this is good but we helped them. ”
A Syrian Kurdish politician told Reuters on Sunday that the Syrian government and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) were currently negotiating with Russia, hoping for a deal to stop a Turkish attack in the north of the country.
Ahmed Suleiman, a senior member of the Kurdish Progressive Democratic Party in Syria, said talks were underway at the Russian base of Hmeimim in Latakia, although a source close to the Syrian government said it was taking place in Damascus.
The source close to the Syrian government said meetings between the SDF and Damascus were held before and after the Turkish attack
In Paris, the French presidency said in a statement that President Emmanuel Macron would hold an emergency defense meeting of the cabinet on Sunday to discuss options for a Turkish attack in northeast Syria.
The French defense and foreign ministries issued a joint statement on the Turkish aggression in Syria, stressing the Turkish attack threatening the security of Europe.
"France, which expects this attack to end, has decided to suspend all arms export plans to Turkey that could be used in this attack. The decision applies immediately," the statement said.
EU foreign ministers will coordinate their positions at a meeting on Monday in Luxembourg, the statement said.
