Small Wars Journal

U.S.-Turkey ‘Safe Zone’ in Syria Off to a Good Start, Says Kurdish Official

Thu, 09/05/2019 - 12:57am

U.S.-Turkey ‘Safe Zone’ in Syria Off to a Good Start, Says Kurdish Official by Sarah El Deeb – Associated Press

DARBASIYAH, Syria — The creation of a so-called “safe zone” in northeastern Syria has gotten off to good start, with U.S.-backed Kurdish-led forces pulling back from a small, initial area along the Turkish border, a Syrian Kurdish official said — but calm can only prevail if Turkey also removes its troops.

Ilham Ahmed, co-chair of the executive committee of the U.S-backed Syrian Democratic Council, said the understanding reached between Washington and Ankara last month, and in coordination with the Syrian Kurdish-led forces, constitutes a step toward starting a dialogue over mutual security concerns…

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