Trump Says Syria Friendly With Kurds

Syrian Troops Enter Ex-Daesh Capital Raqqa

Date: 16 October 2019 - 22:21

News ID: ۷۱۸۰۶

DAMASCUS (Dispatches) -- A group of Syrian soldiers have entered the city of Raqqa and begun setting up some observation posts, Al-Mayadeen TV reported on Wednesday.
The report came days after Kurdish forces, who seized the city from Daesh, cut a deal with the Syrian government for army troops to deploy at the border.
Russian forces have also crossed the Euphrates River in northern Syria and reached the outskirts of the city of Kobani, the Syrian Observatory said.
"Russian forces reached an area outside of Kobani, about 4-5 kilometers outside the city, after crossing the Euphrates,” said Rami Abdulrahman, the director of the so-called Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a British-based war monitor.
The Syrian Kurds’ military agreement with the government and its ally Moscow marks an abrupt shift in policy following the United States announcement that its forces would be withdrawing from northeast Syria.
Russia offered Wednesday to mediate a resolution in northern Syria, ahead of a mission by U.S. Vice President Mike Pence to press Turkey for a ceasefire.
Ahead of talks with Pence, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan defied U.S. economic sanctions, saying the only way its military offensive would end was if Syrian Kurdish fighters leave a designated border area.
Erdogan also said he had "no problem" accepting an invitation from Russian President Vladimir Putin to visit Russia soon to discuss Syria. But he threw into doubt a planned Nov. 13 meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump, citing anger over the sanctions that Washington imposed Monday on the NATO ally.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in remarks carried by Russian news agencies that Moscow is committed to mediating between Syria and Turkey.
The American move effectively abandoned the Kurdish fighters allied with the U.S. and cleared the way for Turkey's invasion aimed at crushing them. After heavy criticism at home, Trump sought new leverage with Turkey by imposing the sanctions.
America's abrupt withdrawal of its troops pushed the Kurds to strike a deal with the government of President Bashar Assad, allowing Syrian forces to return to regions they abandoned at the height of the 8-year-old war.
"Syria's friendly with the Kurds. The Kurds are very well-protected. Plus, they know how to fight. And, by the way, they're no angels," Trump told reporters at the White House while meeting with Italian President Sergio Mattarella.
Trump added that U.S. troops are "largely out" of the region, adding that if Russia wanted to get involved with Syria, "that's really up to them. It's not our border. We shouldn't be losing lives over it."
In an address to his ruling party legislators, Erdogan said Turkey would not be coerced into halting its offensive or accepting offers for mediation with the Kurdish fighters, which Turkey considers to be terrorists. He vowed to press ahead with the incursion until Turkish troops reach 30-35 kilometers (18-20 miles) inside Syria to form a "safe zone" along the border area.
"Our proposal is for the terrorists to lay down their arms, leave their equipment, destroy the traps they have created, and leave the safe zone we designated, as of tonight," Erdogan said. "If this is done, our Operation Peace Spring will end by itself."
Erdogan's office confirmed he would meet Thursday with Pence and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
But anger over the sanctions hung over the upcoming talks. Trump has taken a tough tone, warning that the U.S. has "a lot in store" if Turkey doesn't comply with ceasefire demands. Pence said the U.S. is "simply not going to tolerate Turkey's invasion of Syria any longer."
Erdogan said he was not concerned by the sanctions. He told reporters that chances for his November trip to Washington are "something to be assessed" after the talks with the American delegation, he said, adding that the sanctions and criticisms in the U.S. constituted "great disrespect toward the Turkish Republic."
He ruled out direct or indirect talks with the Kurdish fighters, saying Turkey will not negotiate with "terrorists."
"We are not looking for a peace mediator, nor do we need one," he said.
In a speech to Parliament, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Turkey won't be affected by "sanctions and threats." He also said Turkey would "give the appropriate answer to these sanctions."
"No sanctions or threats are acceptable and will not affect our resolve," he said.
With the Turkish assault in its eighth day, Turkish forces and Kurdish fighters battled over the border town of Ras al-Ain. Turkey said it had captured the town days ago, but its hold appeared uncertain.
Russia already has announced it had deployed troops outside the flashpoint town of Manbij to keep apart the Syrian military and Turkish-led militants. Syrian forces took control of Manbij as U.S. troops completed their pullout from the town Tuesday. The Syrian and Russian deployments appear to have thwarted Turkey's hopes to capture the town, located just west of the Euphrates River.
Lavrov also said Moscow will also continue to encourage Syria's Kurds and government to seek rapprochement following the U.S. withdrawal.
During a visit to Iraq last week, Lavrov met with the leaders of the Kurdish autonomous region and said that Moscow is sympathetic to their needs.
Lavrov also blamed the U.S. and the West for undermining the Syrian state, saying this pushed "the Kurds toward separatism and confrontation with Arab tribes."
In another development, France suggested it will also work more closely with Russia in Syria.
French Foreign Minister Jean Yves Le Drian said told French TV channel BFM that France is now looking to Russia, given their alleged "common interests" in defeating the Daesh group in Syria.
He urged European and other members of the so-called coalition in Syria to regroup as the U.S. appeared to abdicate its leadership role in the region.