“The President of the Republic stressed that the humanitarian truce applied to all of Syria, including Afrin, and should be implemented everywhere and by all without any delay to stop the ongoing spiral of violence that could lead to a regional explosion and push away any hope of a political solution,” Macron’s office said in a statement, according to Reuters.
Monitoring of humanitarian access and chemical weapons by France, a permanent member of the UN Security Council, is “total and permanent,” he added.
According to sources who spoke to Turkey’s state-run Anadolu Agency, Erdogan told Macron the “utmost importance” is being given to avoid harming civilians.
The UN Security Council unanimously passed the resolution, drafted by Kuwait and Sweden, on Saturday after it gained the support of Russia, the Syrian government’s main military and diplomatic sponsor. Russia had previously used its veto to block the resolution to allow Damascus to continue operations against ISIS and al-Qaeda-linked rebels.
Russia only gave its consent once these groups were excluded from the ceasefire agreement, and the timeframe for implementation was given more flexibility.
The main focus of the resolution was halting Syrian government operations in Idlib and in the Damascus suburb of Eastern Ghouta, where conditions under the regime bombardment have been described by the UN general secretary as “hell on earth.”
It was not immediately clear, however, whether the resolution also applied to Afrin, where Turkey launched Operation Olive Branch on January 20. Ankara believes the ruling Kurdish groups in northern Syria are “terrorists” and has sought to push back the People’s Protection Units (YPG) from the border. The civilian death toll meanwhile has been mounting.
After the adoption of the resolution on Saturday, Turkey’s Foreign Ministry stressed it will “remain resolute in fighting against the terrorist organizations that threaten the territorial integrity and political unity of Syria” – without mentioning Afrin specifically.
However, speaking to reporters on Sunday, Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdag insisted the resolution would not apply to its Afrin operation.
Turkish forces took another five villages in Afrin on Sunday morning, according to state media, naming five villages in the western Rajo district.
As of Sunday morning, Turkey has taken control of some 21 percent of Afrin, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
The UK-based conflict monitor reported that Turkish fire and airstrikes on Afrin had intensified since pro-Syrian government militias arrived in the canton last week to bolster Kurdish groups on the borders.
The Observatory said that more than a quarter of all territory in Afrin taken by Turkey came under its control after the arrival of the pro-regime forces.
Since Turkey launched its operation, 129 civilians have been killed, including 24 children and 19 women, according to the Observatory. Health officials in Afrin have expressed concern about dwindling medical supplies.
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