Abandoned by the United States and facing a deepening Turkish military offensive, Kurdish forces near the northern Syrian border have struck a deal with the Syrian government, marking a major shift in the country’s eight-year war.
On Monday, Syrian troops were reportedly advancing north towards the border to confront Turkish forces, returning for the first time in years to a region where the Kurds had established relative autonomy, and further solidifying Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s grip on the country.
The agreement between Damascus and the Kurds comes as US President Donald Trump ordered the withdrawal of all remaining American forces out of northern Syria. The move signals a departure from long-standing US counter-terrorism strategy in Syria, which hinged on a close partnership with Kurdish-led forces to combat ISIS.
In discontinuing that approach, the Trump administration has effectively ceded influence in northern Syria to Assad and his allies and raised the specter of a resurgent ISIS. Over recent days, Kurdish authorities have reported the escape of hundreds of ISIS family members from a camp in northern Syria, and warned that ISIS militants held in prisons could be next to go if fighting with Turkish forces continues to escalate.
The situation began to deteriorate last week when the Trump administration ordered US troops to step aside from the border in northern Syria, effectively paving the way for Turkey to launch its offensive against the Kurds, who they regard as enemies.
The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) who operate in the area are led by the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG), which Turkey considers a terrorist organization affiliated with the separatist Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says the incursion into Syria is aimed at clearing a “safe zone” along the border to resettle some two million Syrian refugees currently hosted in Turkey.
But there are growing concerns over the safety of hundreds of thousands of civilians in Turkey’s path, as Kurdish-controlled towns come under heavy fire, key border towns are seized and main roads are cut off.
Amid the chaos over the weekend, a grisly video began circulating on social media that appeared to show the execution-style killing of a prominent Kurdish politician, as well as her driver, members of Kurdish security forces and several civilians by Turkish-backed militants.
The Free Syrian Army or FSA (also called the Syrian National Army), have denied those claims. CNN could not independently verify the video.
Assad’s soldiers helping Kurdish forces
On Sunday, the Kurdish-led Autonomous Administration of North and Eastern Syria said it reached an agreement with the Syrian government to deploy troops along the entirety of Syrian-Turkish border.
Units from the Syrian Army were moving towards the north Sunday night to “oppose the Turkish aggression” on Syrian territory, according to Syrian state news agency SANA.
The new agreement between the Kurds and Damascus represents a new chapter in the eight-year Syrian war, and one that is throwing up changing alliances in an area already saturated with infighting.
The Kurdish-led Autonomous Administration of North and Eastern Syria said Sunday that the Syrian government had the duty of protecting its borders and sovereignty.
“This agreement offers an opportunity to liberate the rest of the Syrian territories and cities occupied by the Turkish army as Afrin and other Syrian cities and towns,” the statement said.
The deal means that Kurdish forces, who were considered vital US allies in the fight against ISIS, would be fighting alongside allies of President Bashar al-Assad’s regime, which the US opposes.
The Syrian government has not commented on such an agreement.
Russia will likely welcome a full US troop withdrawal. As allies of the Assad regime, Moscow could gain greater leverage in the region.
ISIS families escape from camp
But the offensive threatens gains made against ISIS.
Kurdish authorities claim Turkey’s offensive has led to the escape of “785 people affiliated with foreign ISIS fighters” from the Ain Issa camp. The camp mainly houses internally displaced people and some ISIS family members.
According to a statement posted on the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria Facebook page, “ISIS elements attacked the camp guards, opened the gates and escaped.” CNN is unable to verify the claims.
Erdogan called the reports of an escape “disinformation” in order to “provoke the US and Europe,” Turkish news agency Anadolu reports.
Trump has railed against European countries for not taking back their nationals who left to join the extremist group. “The US has the worst of the ISIS prisoners. Turkey and the Kurds must not let them escape. Europe should have taken them back after numerous requests. They should do it now.” Trump tweeted Sunday.
Trump has also dismissed the overall threat of ISIS escapees, saying last week, “Well, they’re going to be escaping to Europe.”
A European intelligence official questioned the Syrian regime and Russia’s readiness and willingness to take foreign ISIS fighters into custody.
“There is a high chance fighters or their families could attempt to come back to Europe. They could also try and retake the land of the caliphate, disappear back in to ungoverned territory to regroup or a combination of all of that. Dealing with the last two would be a major challenge without a committed ground force as you can’t just use air power,” the official said.
The official added that it was unlikely the SDF would trust the West again.
An American official, expressing anger over the recent developments, told CNN that in his opinion US policy had “failed,” and that the nation and its allies “are now facing new threats at home and abroad.”
“ISIS has a second life and our geo-political allies are the ones who have the advantage,” said the official, speaking candidly in a personal capacity about the withdrawal of US troops from Syria. “Russia and (the Syrian) regime will take back all of the territory and Iran has freedom of movement across the region.”
More than 150,000 people have been displaced from border areas around Tal Abyad and Ras al-Ain, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
As roads flood with families trying to escape the offensive, criticism has been leveled at Trump for pulling troops out of the area thereby helping to provide a de facto go ahead for the Turkish attack.
Retired US four-star Marine Gen. John Allen on Sunday said, “There is blood on Trump’s hands for abandoning our Kurdish allies.”
The former commander of American forces in Afghanistan and former special presidential envoy for the Global Coalition to Counter ISIS under the Obama administration, told CNN the unfolding crisis in Syria was “completely foreseeable” and “the US green lighted it.”
“There was no chance Erdogan would keep his promise, and full blown ethnic cleansing is underway by Turkish supported militias,” he said. “This is what happens when Trump follows his instincts and because of his alignment with autocrats.”
The Trump administration has insisted Turkey would have proceeded with their offensive regardless of whether US troops had remained and that the US has not deserted the Syrian Kurds.
https://www.cnn.com/2019/10/14/middleeast/syria-turkey-kurds-civilians-isis-intl-hnk/index.html