Kurdish Politician Says Withdrawal From N. Syria Only Possible After Turkey's Departure

BEIRUT (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 18th October, 2019) The withdrawal of Kurdish forces from the Turkish-Syrian border area as part of a ceasefire, announced by US Vice President Mike Pence, is only possible if the Syrian military, not Turkish forces, is deployed there, Kurdish politician Rezan Hedo, who worked as the People's Protection Units (YPG) official spokesman, told Sputnik.

On Thursday, Pence spent hours negotiating with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Pence said after the talks that the sides had reached an agreement to implement a 120-hour ceasefire in northeast Syria to allow the withdrawal of YPG forces. Under the deal, all military activities under Turkey's Operation Peace Spring, aimed at clearing the Turkish-Syrian border area of Kurdish-led militia, considered to be terrorists by Ankara, and the Islamic State terror group (banned in Russia), will be paused and the operation will be halted entirely on completion of the withdrawal.

"If the Syrian military gains control over the territories of the [Kurdish-led] Syrian Democratic Forces, which Pence is talking about, it is a positive statement. But if the Turkish military or the so-called National Army, supported by it, is there, it would mean that the plan for the demographic changes of this region has been completed," Hedo said.

The politician insisted that residents of Syria's northeast would not agree to live under Ankara's authority. Hedo noted that Pence did not mention a withdrawal of pro-Turkish forces from the area.

"At least, they had to first announce the withdrawal of pro-Turkish forces from the territories that have been captured since October 9," Hedo pointed out.

The Kurdish authorities controlling the north of Syria on Sunday announced reaching an agreement with Damascus on the deployment of the Syrian troops along the entire borderline with Turkey to counter the Turkish offensive.

Turkey began its operation in northern Syria on October 9. The offensive was met with criticism from the United States, the European Union and many Arab countries, among other states. Damascus has deemed it a violation of Syria's territorial integrity, while Russia, which supports Syria in its fight against terrorism, has emphasized that any escalation of the Syrian conflict should be avoided.