Russia is reporting that more Kurdish SDF fighters have successfully withdrawn out of the Syrian safe zone, the 32 km area along the Turkish border. They say the SDF reported the pullouts, and Russia can confirm, but they did not publicly say how many.
Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Vershinin issued a statement on Wednesday saying it is the hope of the Russian government that the Kurdish SDF will all leave the safe zone voluntarily. Russia has expressed confidence that a 150 hour deal will be plenty of time.
Russian officials also said that it is their expectation that once the SDF withdraws from the safe zone and matters are settled, efforts will be made to integrate them into the Syrian Army.
That’s something Turkey is almost certain to object to, because in the past they have made clear they would not allow the Kurdish “terrorists” to become part of the Syrian government.
If one has to withdraw from a “safe zone” that is not a safe zone.
It is for Turkey. It is amazing how chivalrous world is when it comes to Kurdish militants! As if they cause no harm to anyone whatsoever. Just romantic freedom fighters. The list if crimes against humanity is long — and has been going on for decades.
The concern, however, is for Kurds, the population. How to prevent vigilante justice by those Syrians now under Turkish command and who have been the victims of SDF.while in control of large swath of Arab land.
This is why it was for the best that Syrian Army took over the areas from SDF. But once they withdraw from the Turkish border, only Turkey and Russia will patrol the 10km border area, not allowing Syrian militants back into the area either.
Information has been disseminated among Kurd population in border area to not move. Kurds are minority population in the area West or east of Kobane, but efforts are made to insure they are not panicked by SDF withdrawal.
The issue of population resettlement cannot be too tightly linked with the narrow border area. Places such as Manbij will be focus, as well as the wider region all the way up to Quamishli in the north-east to Raqqa in the east, and then westwards from Manbij — area now controlled by Turkey.
But Kurds are not done playing games, and the same SDF leader is one day thanking to Russian minister of defence for protecting Kurds, and another day calling US to help against Turkey, and third day talking to Trump about oil.
Turkey is not done with the Ras Al Ayn to Tel Abyad corridor. That was the key area of operations — from transferring weapons and supplies to Kurds in Turkey to smuggling them along the border to various Syrian terrorist groups. This was the area if ISIS oil smuggling to Kurds in Turkey who sold them to who knows whom. US was very adamant to stop fighting there and allow YPG to withdraw, along with very likely special ops. This was a very special, multi-purpose area.
So, yes, it is high time that Syria gets control of its borders — and Kurds give up the ambition of statehood.