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Turkey to suspend Syria offensive 'to allow Kurdish withdrawal' | Turkey to suspend Syria offensive 'to allow Kurdish withdrawal' |
(about 2 hours later) | |
Turkey has agreed to a ceasefire in northern Syria to let Kurdish-led forces withdraw. | Turkey has agreed to a ceasefire in northern Syria to let Kurdish-led forces withdraw. |
The deal came after US Vice-President Mike Pence and Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met for talks in Ankara. | The deal came after US Vice-President Mike Pence and Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met for talks in Ankara. |
All fighting will be paused for five days, and the US will help facilitate the withdrawal of Kurdish-led troops from what Turkey terms a "safe zone" on the border, Mr Pence said. | All fighting will be paused for five days, and the US will help facilitate the withdrawal of Kurdish-led troops from what Turkey terms a "safe zone" on the border, Mr Pence said. |
It is unclear if the Kurdish YPG will fully comply, however. | It is unclear if the Kurdish YPG will fully comply, however. |
Commander Mazloum Kobani said Kurdish-led forces would observe the agreement in the area between the border towns of Ras al-Ayin and Tal Abyad, where fighting has been fierce. | Commander Mazloum Kobani said Kurdish-led forces would observe the agreement in the area between the border towns of Ras al-Ayin and Tal Abyad, where fighting has been fierce. |
"We have not discussed the fate of other areas," he said. | "We have not discussed the fate of other areas," he said. |
UK-based war monitor the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said clashes were continuing in Ras al-Ain despite the ceasefire announcement. | UK-based war monitor the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said clashes were continuing in Ras al-Ain despite the ceasefire announcement. |
It said 72 civilians had been killed inside Syria and more than 300,000 displaced over the past eight days. | It said 72 civilians had been killed inside Syria and more than 300,000 displaced over the past eight days. |
What prompted the offensive? | What prompted the offensive? |
Turkey launched the cross-border offensive last week, after US President Donald Trump announced he was pulling US forces out of the Syria-Turkey border region. | Turkey launched the cross-border offensive last week, after US President Donald Trump announced he was pulling US forces out of the Syria-Turkey border region. |
Its goal was to push back a Kurdish militia group - the People's Protection Units (YPG) - that Turkey views as a terrorist organisation. | Its goal was to push back a Kurdish militia group - the People's Protection Units (YPG) - that Turkey views as a terrorist organisation. |
Turkey had hoped to resettle up to two million Syrian refugees in the border area, but critics warned that could trigger ethnic cleansing of the local Kurdish population. | Turkey had hoped to resettle up to two million Syrian refugees in the border area, but critics warned that could trigger ethnic cleansing of the local Kurdish population. |
President Trump was accused by some of abandoning a US ally, as the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) - a group dominated by the YPG - fought alongside the US against the Islamic State (IS) group in Syria. | President Trump was accused by some of abandoning a US ally, as the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) - a group dominated by the YPG - fought alongside the US against the Islamic State (IS) group in Syria. |
But on Wednesday he said the Kurds were "not angels", and declared: "It's not our border. We shouldn't be losing lives over it." | But on Wednesday he said the Kurds were "not angels", and declared: "It's not our border. We shouldn't be losing lives over it." |
How has Trump reacted to the ceasefire? | How has Trump reacted to the ceasefire? |
Mr Trump tweeted about the Turkish ceasefire before his vice-president unveiled it, writing: "Millions of lives will be saved!" | Mr Trump tweeted about the Turkish ceasefire before his vice-president unveiled it, writing: "Millions of lives will be saved!" |
He added later: "This deal could NEVER have been made 3 days ago. There needed to be some "tough" love in order to get it done. Great for everybody. Proud of all!" | He added later: "This deal could NEVER have been made 3 days ago. There needed to be some "tough" love in order to get it done. Great for everybody. Proud of all!" |
Mr Pence credited Donald Trump's "strong leadership" during the announcement, saying: "He wanted a ceasefire. He wanted to stop the violence." | Mr Pence credited Donald Trump's "strong leadership" during the announcement, saying: "He wanted a ceasefire. He wanted to stop the violence." |
"I am proud of the United States for sticking by me in following a necessary, but somewhat unconventional, path," Mr Trump added on Twitter. | "I am proud of the United States for sticking by me in following a necessary, but somewhat unconventional, path," Mr Trump added on Twitter. |
Just a day before the Pence-Erdogan meeting, it emerged that Mr Trump had sent his Turkish counterpart a letter about the offensive, urging him: "Don't be a tough guy. Don't be a fool!" | Just a day before the Pence-Erdogan meeting, it emerged that Mr Trump had sent his Turkish counterpart a letter about the offensive, urging him: "Don't be a tough guy. Don't be a fool!" |
After the ceasefire announcement on Thursday, he called Mr Erdogan "a hell of a leader" who "did the right thing". | After the ceasefire announcement on Thursday, he called Mr Erdogan "a hell of a leader" who "did the right thing". |
What does Turkey say? | What does Turkey say? |
Turkey's Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told journalists the offensive would only be permanently halted when the SDF had left the border zone. | Turkey's Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told journalists the offensive would only be permanently halted when the SDF had left the border zone. |
"We are suspending the operation, not halting it," he said. "We will halt the operation only after [Kurdish forces] completely withdraw from the region." | "We are suspending the operation, not halting it," he said. "We will halt the operation only after [Kurdish forces] completely withdraw from the region." |
Mr Cavusoglu said Turkey had also secured its goal of having heavy arms removed from the Kurdish-led fighters, and their positions destroyed. | Mr Cavusoglu said Turkey had also secured its goal of having heavy arms removed from the Kurdish-led fighters, and their positions destroyed. |
Mr Pence said the US would lift economic sanctions imposed on Turkey when the military offensive ended, and would not impose more in the meantime. | Mr Pence said the US would lift economic sanctions imposed on Turkey when the military offensive ended, and would not impose more in the meantime. |
The reversal on sanctions was been strongly criticised by the two most senior Democrats in the US Congress. | |
Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer described Turkey's suspension of hostilities as a "sham ceasefire", saying President Erdogan had given up nothing. They said the lifting of sanctions seriously undermined the credibility of US foreign policy. | |
Speaking to Al Arabiya, senior Kurdish politician Aldar Xelil said he welcomed an end to the fighting, but that the SDF would defend itself if exposed to violence. | Speaking to Al Arabiya, senior Kurdish politician Aldar Xelil said he welcomed an end to the fighting, but that the SDF would defend itself if exposed to violence. |
James Jeffrey, the US special representative on Syria, acknowledged that Kurdish-led forces weren't happy about leaving their positions. | James Jeffrey, the US special representative on Syria, acknowledged that Kurdish-led forces weren't happy about leaving their positions. |
"We're basically doing our best efforts to get the YPG to withdraw using as a carrot and a stick the sanctions levers that we have," he told reporters. | "We're basically doing our best efforts to get the YPG to withdraw using as a carrot and a stick the sanctions levers that we have," he told reporters. |
"There's no doubt that the YPG wishes that they could stay in these areas." | "There's no doubt that the YPG wishes that they could stay in these areas." |