RTWed, 23 Oct 2019 15:50 UTC
© Pool footage / RuptlyRussian military police patrol Manbij after withdrawal of US forces on October 16, 2019
A column of Russian military police has crossed the river Euphrates and started moving towards Syrian-Turkish border, Russian Defense Ministry has confirmed on Wednesday.
The transfer marks a start of the implementation of the deal presidents Putin and Erdogan agreed on following their Tuesday meeting.
"Units of Russian military police will assist in ensuring the safety of the population and maintain order, carry out patrols in the area and facilitate the withdrawal of YPG forces to beyond 30 kilometers from the Turkish border," says the ministry's statement.
Under the deal struck by presidents Vladimir Putin and Recep Tayyip Erdoğan after six hours of talks in the Russian coastal city of Sochi on Tuesday, Russian military police and Syrian border guards were due to start overseeing the withdrawal of YPG fighters and their weapons at least 30 km into Syria starting from midday, October 23. The removal of Kurdish units should be completed within 150 hours. Turkey has promised not to launch a new offensive against Kurdish militias in the area that was previously targeted by Turkey in their Operation Peace Spring.
Comment: Stalker Zone
published this summary from
Komsomolskaya Pravda correspondent Aleksandr Kots:
1. What Was Agreed
In fact, a section from Tell Abyad to Ras al-Ain remains under Turkey's control. It's 120 kilometers along the border and 30 kilometers inland. Erdogan will obviously withdraw his troops from the zone soon, leaving Ankara-controlled militant units there. Plus, a 10-kilometre security zone is formed throughout the border, which Ankara will have no control over. However, it will be patrolled jointly by Turks and Russians. In fact, this option allowed Erdogan to save face, but the most important thing is to stop the military operation. This, of course, is not the 480 desired kilometers with a width of 30, but allows to gain a foothold on the М-4 road from Aleppo to the border with Iraq.
2. What Turkey Got
In the occupied territories, Erdoğan will certainly try to resolve the issue of refugees flooding Turkey. According to the most modest signs, about 3 million people fled north-eastern Syria. Initially, Ankara planned to settle them in the buffer zone along the entire border. Now Erdoğan has only 120 kilometers. However, it is not yet a fact that most refugees will want to return. Some already live on Turkish territory, some won't want to give up their benefits and other "privileges". However, Ankara always has legitimate leverage over refugees - it is possible to simply not renew their status.
3. What Syria Got
Firstly, control over territories that seemed lost forever. Because few believed that the Americans, having set their zones of influence in Syria, would abandon them. So even a month ago, the thought of reaching the northeast borders seemed fantastic. Today, it can be said that Assad, thanks to Russian diplomacy, is stitching together a country tearing apart at the seams. Secondly, Damascus is returning the government-loyal Arab population, which has been ruled by the Kurdish minority in recent years. Thirdly, with a competent policy of reconciliation, it receives powerful fighting formations of Kurds, who, when working correctly with them, become allies of government forces.
The fate of the Euphrates oil fields remains unclear. Turkey did not reach them, so there is no word in the signed memorandum about hydrocarbons. Meanwhile, there are already ideas in Washington to leave a small contingent of US military personnel in the oil field area - "to help Kurds protect infrastructure". Obviously, Damascus believes that it will do so itself.
4. What the Kurds got
In fact, compared to the Syrian army, Kurdish formations look more focused. And during their operation against ISIS, they really completed the most difficult tasks, proving themselves to be fearless warriors. This quality is not to be taken away from them. But they chose the wrong ally. And instead of helping their country, they decided to separate themselves. Today, thanks to Russia, the Kurds will not receive the ethnogenocide that Turkey would certainly arrange for them. Whatever personal qualities SDF or PKK fighters possess, they would have nothing to counter the regular army with aviation.
5. What Russia got
Russia is shifting the Middle East's decision-making center to its own side, solving the worst military-political puzzle without the use of force. And thus overplaying the wretched US, which is used to "solving issues" through "humanitarian bombing", bribery, and promises that can not be kept. Together with peace and Syrian territories, Moscow is regaining its status as a leader in a complex region with which it cannot but be reckoned. And these are image things that have no dollar equivalent.
As Kourosh Shamlou
told RT: "It is a successful meeting. More important for Vladimir Putin, because Russia is now filling up the gap left by the US. The US is now pulling out all its forces and Russia is coming in." After being
informed of the deal last night by Putin via phone, President Assad reportedly thanked Putin and expressed his full support for the decision. After the meeting, the Turkish Defence Ministry
announced that there was no longer any need to carry out a new military operation in Syria "at this stage."
The meeting came after the conclusion of the 5-day US-mediated ceasefire, after which the US told Turkey that all terrorists had withdrawn from the area in question - to which Cavusoglu
responded: "However, it does not mean that there are no terrorists there. They could be hiding in tunnels or other places. We took the US guarantees into account and halted the operation, but that does not mean that it is over." It may not be over, but the Russian-Turkish deal provides a bit more breathing room. Erdogan says Turkey will
resume the operation if the U.S. and Russia fail to keep their respective promises. Pompeo says Trump is "
fully prepared" for military action against Turkey should misbehave - but Washington prefers diplomacy. As for Trump, he's naturally claiming
all the credit, but will also remove sanctions against Turkey as a result of the new developments.
Sputnik shared a proposed map resulting from the deal, showing zones in question, plus the 15 observation posts to be manned by the Syrians (full size
here):
The
Syrian live map is showing the entire stretch of the M4 highway from Ayn Isa east under the control of the Syrians.
Moscow is demanding the US end its
occupation of al-Tanf, which blocks a major border crossing with Iraq.
Comment: Stalker Zone published this summary from Komsomolskaya Pravda correspondent Aleksandr Kots: As Kourosh Shamlou told RT: "It is a successful meeting. More important for Vladimir Putin, because Russia is now filling up the gap left by the US. The US is now pulling out all its forces and Russia is coming in." After being informed of the deal last night by Putin via phone, President Assad reportedly thanked Putin and expressed his full support for the decision. After the meeting, the Turkish Defence Ministry announced that there was no longer any need to carry out a new military operation in Syria "at this stage."
The meeting came after the conclusion of the 5-day US-mediated ceasefire, after which the US told Turkey that all terrorists had withdrawn from the area in question - to which Cavusoglu responded: "However, it does not mean that there are no terrorists there. They could be hiding in tunnels or other places. We took the US guarantees into account and halted the operation, but that does not mean that it is over." It may not be over, but the Russian-Turkish deal provides a bit more breathing room. Erdogan says Turkey will resume the operation if the U.S. and Russia fail to keep their respective promises. Pompeo says Trump is "fully prepared" for military action against Turkey should misbehave - but Washington prefers diplomacy. As for Trump, he's naturally claiming all the credit, but will also remove sanctions against Turkey as a result of the new developments.
Sputnik shared a proposed map resulting from the deal, showing zones in question, plus the 15 observation posts to be manned by the Syrians (full size here):
The Syrian live map is showing the entire stretch of the M4 highway from Ayn Isa east under the control of the Syrians.
Moscow is demanding the US end its occupation of al-Tanf, which blocks a major border crossing with Iraq.