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Turkey-Syria offensive: Syrian army heads north after Kurdish deal Turkey-Syria offensive: Syrian army heads north after Kurdish deal
(about 3 hours later)
Syrian government forces have started to reach the north of the country, hours after the government agreed to help Kurdish forces facing Turkey. Syria's army has started to reach the north of the country, hours after the government agreed to help Kurdish forces facing Turkey.
Syrian state media say government forces entered Ain Issa on Monday, 30km (19 miles) south of the Turkish border. State media said government forces, which are backed by Russia, had entered the strategic town of Tal Tamer, 30km (19 miles) south of the Turkish border.
The deal came after the US, the Kurds' main ally, said it would withdraw its remaining troops from northern Syria.The deal came after the US, the Kurds' main ally, said it would withdraw its remaining troops from northern Syria.
Turkey began an offensive in the region last week, aiming to push Kurdish forces from the border region. Turkey's offensive aims to push Kurdish forces from the border region.
Areas under the control of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) came under heavy bombardment over the weekend, with Turkey making gains in two key border towns. Areas under the control of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) came under heavy bombardment over the weekend, with Turkey making gains in the key border towns of Ras al-Ain and Tal Abyad.
Dozens of civilians and fighters have been killed on both sides.Dozens of civilians and fighters have been killed on both sides.
The US announced on Sunday it was preparing to evacuate its 1,000 remaining soldiers from northern Syria. On Sunday, US Defence Secretary Mark Esper announced the Pentagon was moving up to 1,000 troops away from the north, citing fears that US forces would end up stuck between "two opposing advancing armies".
The Turkish offensive and US withdrawal have drawn an international outcry, as the SDF were the main allies of the West in the battle against the Islamic State (IS) group in Syria. The Turkish offensive and US withdrawal have been internationally criticised, as the SDF were the main allies of the West in defeating the Islamic State (IS) group in Syria. There are fears about a possible resurgence of the group and the escape of prisoners amid the instability.
There have been fears about a possible resurgence of the group and the escape of prisoners amid the instability. What is known about the deal?
Turkey views elements of the Kurdish groups as terrorists and says it wants to drive them away from a "safe zone" reaching 32km into Syria. According to the Kurdish-led administration in northern Syria, Sunday's agreement will allow the Syrian army to deploy along border areas controlled by Kurdish forces to "repel [Turkish] aggression".
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan hopes to resettle up to two million Syrian refugees currently in Turkey within the zone. Many of them are not Kurds and critics have warned this could lead to ethnic cleansing of the local Kurdish population. It is the first time government troops will enter those areas since 2012, when forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad withdrew to fight rebels elsewhere, letting Kurdish militias take control.
What do we know about the deal? The deal represents a significant shift in alliances for the Kurds, who said they had been "stabbed in the back" by President Donald Trump after he pulled dozens of US troops from pockets in the north-east last week.
The Kurdish-led administration in northern Syria announced it had reached an agreement on Sunday for the army to deploy along border areas controlled by Kurdish forces to "repel [Turkish] aggression". The move effectively paved the way for the operation by Turkey, which views elements of the Kurdish groups in Syria as an extension of the banned Kurdistan Workers' Party, which has fought for Kurdish autonomy in Turkey for three decades.
For now, they will not be deployed between Tal Abyad and Ras al-Ain, where Turkey has focused its efforts. Apart from being important partners in fighting IS in Syria, the Kurds were fundamental for Washington in limiting the influence of Russia and Iran, key allies of President Assad and US rivals, and keeping some leverage on the ground.
Kurdish-led authorities insist they will remain in charge politically and retain order in the area. For now, Syrian forces will not be deployed between Tal Abyad and Ras al-Ain, where Turkey has focused its efforts. Apart from Tal Tamer, government troops also entered Ain Issa, according to state media.
By Monday Syrian state media said troops had entered Ain Issa and Tal Tamer. A crisis also for Nato
Sunday's deal represents a significant shift in alliances for the Kurds. The crisis in north-eastern Syria is also a crisis for Nato with both practical and political implications. The immediate fear is that much of the progress made towards defeating IS could be undone.
Despite suffering decades of suppression, Syria's main Kurdish parties publicly avoided taking sides when the country descended into civil war in 2011. When forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad withdrew from mainly Kurdish areas to fight rebels elsewhere the following year, Kurdish militias took control. President Trump's willingness to throw the Kurds to the wolves has not gone down well with many allies; France, Germany and perhaps less stridently, Britain, have all urged the Turks to halt their operation. Spain has threatened to pull out its Patriot missile battery in Turkey in protest.
In 2015 they became critical partners on the ground of the US-led multinational coalition against IS. With the help of US airpower and weaponry, the Kurds drove the jihadist group out of more than a quarter of Syria and declared the creation of a "federal system" to govern it. While the Syrian government rejected the declaration and the intervention of the US, which supported the uprising against Mr Assad, it has not sought to retake the territory. Mr Trump, who did little to try to stop the operation, has equally threatened to "totally destroy and obliterate" the Turkish economy if they go too far - an extraordinary statement coming from one Nato member to another.
The biggest Kurdish party has said it is not seeking independence, but insists that any political settlement to end Syria's civil war includes guarantees for Kurdish rights and recognition of their autonomy. The Syrian government has rejected the Kurdish demands for autonomy. Nato Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg says that despite his deep concerns, Turkey will remain an important member of the alliance. He insists that Nato will get over its current divisions. But if you add to this crisis Ankara's recent decision to purchase Russian surface-to-air missiles, there is a clear sense that Turkey is slowly drifting away from it.
What is the US position now? What has the international reaction been?
US President Donald Trump's surprise move last week to pull dozens of troops from pockets in the north-east effectively paved the way for the Turkish operation against the Kurdish fighters. On Monday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Turkey would not back down its offensive "no matter what anyone says", adding that the operation would continue until "ultimate victory is achieved".
At the time, the SDF called the move "a stab in the back". Turkey wants to push Kurdish forces away from a "safe zone" reaching 32km into Syria, to where it will resettle up to two million Syrian refugees currently in Turkey. Many of them are not Kurds and critics warn this could lead to ethnic cleansing of the local Kurdish population.
On Sunday US Defence Secretary Mark Esper announced the Pentagon was moving up to 1,000 troops away from the north, citing fears that US forces would end up stuck between "two opposing advancing armies". The Russian government, a close ally of Mr Erdogan, said it did not want to entertain the possibility of a clash between Russian and Turkish forces in Syria, and said it was in regular contact with Turkey's authorities.
President Trump has suggested Kurdish forces might have released IS prisoners on purpose to draw the US into the conflict. Earlier, President Trump suggested Kurdish forces might have released IS prisoners on purpose to draw the US into the conflict. "Big sanctions on Turkey coming!" he added, without giving details.
What has Turkey seized so far? In other developments:
On Sunday, President Erdogan said his forces had already captured 109 sq km (42 square miles) of territory, including 21 villages.
They have focused their efforts on seizing the two key towns of Ras al-Ain and Tal Abyad.
Mr Erdogan described the US withdrawal as "positive" and said he expected the SDF to withdraw from other key towns.
He also insisted that he did not expect problems with Russia, while hitting out at Western nations who had criticised the operation.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian and his German counterpart, Heiko Maas, are among those calling for an EU-wide arms embargo against Ankara.
Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg described the situation as a "great concern" which risked "further destabilising the region".
What is the situation on ground?What is the situation on ground?
Reports suggest that at least 50 civilians have been killed inside Syria and 18 over the border in southern Turkey. At least 50 civilians have been killed inside Syria and 18 over the border in southern Turkey, reports say. Kurdish forces have confirmed the deaths of 56 of their fighters while Turkey says four of its soldiers and 16 pro-Turkish Syrian fighters have been killed in Syria.
Kurdish forces have confirmed the deaths of 56 of their fighters while Turkey says four of its soldiers and 16 pro-Turkish Syrian fighters have been killed in Syria. Up to 160,000 civilians had been displaced, according to UN humanitarian agency OCHA, which said the number was expected to rise.
The UN humanitarian agency OCHA says up to 160,000 civilians are now on the move and it expects the number to rise. The fighting has also spilled over to areas close to IS detainee camps, and officials at the Ain Issa camp said nearly 800 relatives of foreign IS members had escaped. The camp holds about 12,000 displaced people, previously including nearly 1,000 foreign women and children with jihadist links.
The fighting has also spilled over to areas close to IS detainee camps. Officials at the Ain Issa camp said nearly 800 relatives of foreign IS members had escaped on Sunday.
The camp holds about 12,000 displaced people, previously including nearly 1,000 foreign women and children with jihadist links.
Turkey has said it will take responsibility for IS prisoners it finds during its offensive.Turkey has said it will take responsibility for IS prisoners it finds during its offensive.
On Sunday, President Erdogan said his forces had already captured 109 sq km (42 square miles) of territory, including 21 villages.