Published 20:41 IST, October 18th 2019
Erdogan: Will resume Syria operation if Kurdish forces break ceasefire
Turkish President said that Turkey will restart its operation against the Kurdish forces in Syria on October 22 if the Kurds do not withdraw from the safe zone
Turkish President on Friday threatened to relaunch its operation against the Kurdish forces in Syria on October 22 evening if the Kurds do not withdraw from the safe zone.
Despite a five-day ceasefire agreed between Turkey and the United States, to pause its offensive in Syria, shelling could be heard in the Syrian border town of Ras al-Ayn on Friday morning.
Have 120 hours for Kurds to withdraw
Reportedly Erdogan said that if the promises are kept till October 22 evening, the problem will be resolved. If it fails, attack on Syria border towns will resume the minute the 120-hour period is over, said Erdogan while addressing a press conference in Istanbul.
After talks with the US on October 17, Turkey had agreed that to suspend its offensive in northern Syria and allow the Kurdish-led SDF militia to withdraw from the area.
Violation of truce
Despite a five-day ceasefire, shelling and gunfire could be heard at the Syrian-Turkish border on Friday morning. Sounds of machine-gun firing and shelling could be heard as far as from the Turkish town of Ceylanpinar across the border from the Syrian border battlefield city of Ras al Ain. Smoke rising from the city provided further evidence of continuation of the conflict.
Will the deal be honoured?
It is still unclear whether any damage was done from shelling heard on Friday and whether the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) will comply with an agreement that will leave Turkish forces in charge of vast territory which Kurds once held with the US military support. The ceasefire, reportedly, was announced a day ago by US Vice President Mike Pence after talks with Turkish President Recip Tayyip Erdogan to let the Kurdish-led SDF militia withdraw from the area controlled by Turkish forces.
(With PTI inputs)
Updated 21:55 IST, October 18th 2019