Syrian Kurds call on US to pressure Turkey to implement ceasefire

The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) on Saturday called on the US administration to pressure Turkey to implement the ceasefire...

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) on Saturday called on the US administration to pressure Turkey to implement the ceasefire and open a safe corridor so civilians and injured fighters in the city of Serekaniye (Ras al-Ain) can leave the city.

“US Vice President, Mr. Mike Pence, and US Secretary of State, Mr. Mike Pompeo, who concluded the agreement with the Turkish side, have a responsibility to oblige Turkey to implement the ceasefire and open the corridor, according to the understandings with the US side,” the SDF said in a statement.

The multi-ethnic SDF force accepted the US-brokered ceasefire on Thursday but said Turkey is violating the ceasefire agreement by continuing to attack the town since last night.

David Eubank, a former US Special Forces officer, and leader of the medical relief group called the Free Burma Rangers (FBR), told Kurdistan 24 that there was still heavy fighting taking place on Saturday morning between Serekaniye and Tel Temir.

“We tried to get in yesterday and got to [within] three kilometers, but FSA [Free Syrian Army] blocks the way—they fire mortars and machine guns, and we are shelled by artillery,” Eubank said.

“All night, the FSA is shooting at SDF positions—we are asking for a humanitarian corridor to get the wounded out of Serekaniye,” he added. “I am here at the front with our FBR medical team and ambulances to help.”

Eubank said that although there were no airstrikes since the ceasefire, there is still “artillery fire and ground attacks. ”

As per the purported ceasefire, the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) has 120 hours to withdraw, which started on Friday. 

However, injured fighters and civilians are still stuck in the city and unable to leave due to being surrounded by Turkish-backed forces. Civilian convoys have attempted to enter the city without success.

The SDF says Turkey does not allow the opening of a safe corridor to evacuate the wounded and civilians, “despite the fact that 30 hours have passed since the announcement of the ceasefire.”

“We have pledged to abide by the ceasefire and continue to abide by it, but at the same time, we demand the US side to abide by it and also to pressure the Turkish side to open the corridor and allow us to evacuate the wounded and civilians from inside the besieged city of Ras al-Ain.”

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday indicated that he wants to control large parts of northeastern Syria and aims to establish 12 observation posts in a 20-mile planned “safe zone,” and settle two million refugees if it includes Deir al-Zor and Raqqa, the Daily Sabah reported.

Turkey hosts 3.6 million refugees that have fled the eight-year war in Syria.

However, Luqman Ahmi, a spokesperson for the Kurdish-led self-administration for Syria’s northeast, said Turkey is planning to ethnic-cleanse the population by resettling those refugees, of which a majority are from other parts of Syria.

“Turkey is insisting on settling non-local Syrian refugees in our areas in order to conduct a demographic change, similar to what happened in Afrin.”

Turkey occupied Afrin, a majority Kurdish region, in March 2018, and settled displaced Arab refugees there from other cities in Syria.

Ahmi said Turkey had not shown commitment to the terms of the ceasefire, “and its affiliated militants are continuing to attack and loot our region.” 

“The city of Serekaniye continues to be under siege, there are injured civilians and wounded SDF fighters trapped in Serekaniye’s hospital,” he added. “The hospitals are being targeted by Turkey, and the casualties are dying because of the lack of medicine and enforced siege.”

“We tried to avoid conflict, but once it started, we wanted it to end. We were supportive of the idea that the US could pressure Turkey and prevent a war.”

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany