Turkey, Russia Start Clock on Kurdish Withdrawal From Northern Syria by Jared Malsin – Wall Street Journal
Turkish forces suspended their offensive in northern Syria and Russian security forces began patrolling nearby, under an agreement that gives Kurdish fighters 150 hours to leave what Ankara calls a safe zone in the war-torn country’s north.
The approximately six-day pause began midday Wednesday after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan struck an agreement with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Black Sea resort town of Sochi a day earlier.
Under the pact, Russian and Syrian security forces would oversee the withdrawal of Kurdish fighters from a 300-mile-long strip of land along the Turkish border. After their departure, Turkey and Russia plan to conduct joint patrols in parts of the area.
The arrival of Russian security forces confirmed Moscow’s role as the main power broker in Syria, filling a vacuum after President Trump ordered American troops to withdraw from the region this month…