SDF Is Ready To Withdraw From Key Towns In Northern Syria Under New Russian Offer To Turkey
Russia has offered Turkey a new deal that would see the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) withdrawing from two key towns in northern Syria, Al Jazeera reported on December 8.
Turkey launched an operation against Kurdish forces in Syria and Iraq, codenamed Claw-Sword, on November 20 in response to the November 13 bombing in Istanbul. Ankara says that the core faction of the SDF, the People’s Protection Units, was involved in the terrorist attack that claimed the lives of six people and wounded 80 others. However, the group has repeatedly denied these accusations.
So far, Operation Claw-Sword has been limited to air and artillery strikes. Nevertheless, senior Turkish officials, including President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, warned on multiple occasions recently of a near ground offensive against the SDF.
Under the new Russian offer, which meant to prevent a Turkish invasion of northern Syria, the SDF would withdraw from the towns of Manbij and Kobane in the northern and northeastern Aleppo countryside. The two key towns will be handed over to Syrian government forces.
The personnel of the Asayish, the security wing of the SDF, will stay in the two towns. However, they will be integrated into Syrian security forces.
A Russian delegation informed Turkish officials that the SDF is ready to go forward with the deal on the condition that Turkey cancel its plans for a new ground operation in northern Syria.
“Ankara is studying the offer made by the Russian delegation,” Al Jazeera quoted its Turkish sources as saying.
Syrian government forces are already amassing near Manbij and Kobane, possibly in anticipation of a Turkish approval of the Russian offer.
Manbij and Kobane were two of three towns which were recently named by President Erdogan as main targets of any new Turkish ground operation in northern Syria, with the third town being Tell Rifaat.
Russia has been making immense effort to prevent a new Turkish invasion of northern Syria. However, the SDF has so far refused to make any concessions that would address all of Ankara’s security concerns. The new offer may be the last attempt to find a peaceful way out of this crisis.
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