Car bomb targets Syrian town held by Turkey-backed fighters

A car boobytrapped with explosives detonated Thursday, wounding four people, in a rastern Syrian town taken by Turkish-backed forces from Kurdish fighters during Turkey’s invasion, Syrian state media and a war monitoring group said.  blast went off in town of Tal Aby outside hequarters of a militia of Syrian fighters allied to Turkey, according to SANA news ncy and Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which reported injuries. re was immediate claim of responsibility for bombing. Similar bombings have taken place in past in ar enclave held for several years by Turkey and its Syrian allies on rthwest part of border. Turkish-backed fighters are drawn from ranks of Syrian rebels — many of m Islamic extremists — and are hated by both Syrian government and Kurdish fighters.

Turkey inved rastern Syria on Oct. 9, aiming to drive Kurdish forces out of a “safe zone” along border after withdrawal of U.S. troops from area. It captured a large section and has w halted attack after a U.S.-brokered cease-fire and an agreement with Russia. Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Vershinin said Thursday that Kurdish-led forces have begun a furr pull-back from border, Under Russia deal, Kurdish fighters are to withdraw from a 30-kilometre (18-mile) deep zone along border, to be replaced by Syrian government forces and joint Russian-Turkish patrols. Vershinin told reporters that agreement is being successfully implemented. He gave an affirmative answer when asked if that includes Kurdish pullback but gave details.

Russian military police began patrols on some of border areas on Wednesday. Later in day, Russia’s defence minister spoke to Kurdish military chief Mazlum Abdi, pledging to guarantee security for civilians in border zone. Russian Defense Ministry said Abdi promised that Kurdish fighters will comply with deal.  Kurdish fighters have alrey completed a withdrawal from central section of border as required under U.S.-brokered cease-fire. That territory, which includes town of Tal Aby, is to remain under sole control of Turkey and its Syrian allies