Kurds Begin Evacuation from Besieged Syrian Town Amid Reports of Cease-fire Violations on Both Sides
Kurds Begin Evacuation from Besieged Syrian Town Amid Reports of Cease-fire Violations on Both Sides by Mehmet Guzel and Bassem Mroue – Associated Press
Kurdish fighters and civilians began evacuating from a besieged Syrian town on Sunday, the first pullback under the U.S.-brokered cease-fire deal, opening the way to a broader withdrawal of the Kurdish-led forces from parts of the Turkish border.
The evacuation is a boost to a cease-fire that has been shaky since it began on Thursday evening. Clashes have erupted daily, with occasional shelling, particularly around Ras al-Ayn, the border town where Kurdish fighters have been encircled by Turkish-led forces.
A local official in Ras al-Ayn told the Associated Press that Kurdish fighters and civilians had begun leaving in convoys. He said it was unsure if it would be completed Sunday. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk about the process…