“America and Russia have not fulfilled their responsibilities regarding the Sochi and Istanbul agreements,” Mazloum Abdi, commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), told ANHA news in an interview published Saturday.
On October 9, 2019, Turkey launched Operation Peace Spring into northern Syria with the goal of forcing Kurdish forces away from the border and establishing a so-called “safe zone.” Ankara alleges the SDF and the Kurdish Peoples’ Protection Units (YPG) are Syrian branches of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).
On October 17, Washington brokered a ceasefire agreement with Ankara in which the YPG would pull out of the “safe zone” that would then be enforced by the Turkish army.
Clashes continued and Moscow reached a second truce with Ankara on October 23. In it, Turkey was given control of the border cities of Seri Kani (Ras al-Ain in Arabic) and Gire Spi (Tel Abyad in Arabic), the YPG would pull back 32 kilometres from the border, and Russian and Syrian government forces would patrol the frontier.
The Kurdish forces were not party to negotiations for either deal, but committed to them both.
“According to the agreements, the demographics of the region should not have been tampered with… and the people should not have been exposed to danger,” said Abdi. “The Turkish state had to deter the crimes against the people, but it is the one that is giving way to these crimes and organizing them.”
Last month, the United Nations said that Syrian militias backed by Turkey in the Operation Peace Spring area may have committed war crimes including taking hostages, rape, torture, and looting. The UN called on Turkey to do more to rein in its proxy militias.
Turkey rejected the report as “baseless” and accused the YPG of being the “true culprits."
On Sunday, a group of villagers blocked a Russian military convoy in Hasaka province, angry at the Russian presence.
“We do not want the Russians here. We do not want the Americans here. We do not want ISIS [Islamic State] here, neither [Turkish President] Erdogan nor others," one woman said in comments directed at Russian military police standing outside their vehicles.
"Brother, look, you and the Americans have not come here to protect us. You are after your own interests," an elderly man told a Russian soldier who listened calmly.
American forces deployed in northeastern Syria during the war against ISIS are now largely tasked with guarding oil fields.
