US lifts sanctions against Turkey
Trump to lift sanctions in conflict-hit region, Russian forces in Syria
Washington: President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced the lifting of US sanctions against Turkey and defended his abrupt pullout from Syria, saying “let someone else fight” over the “bloodstained” country.
Sochi, Oct. 23: Russia and Turkey have agreed to ensure Kurdish forces withdraw from areas close to Syria’s border with Turkey and to launch joint patrols, in a deal hailed as “historic” by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
After marathon talks in Russia’s southern city of Sochi, Erdogan and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin announced the deal late Tuesday just hours ahead of a deadline for Turkey to restart its assault on Syrian Kurdish forces.
As the evening deadline passed, Turkey said there was “no need” to relaunch the offensive.
The agreement cements Russia and Turkey’s roles as the main foreign players in Syria, after US President Donald Trump announced the withdrawal of American forces from the country’s north earlier this month.
That announcement cleared the way for Turkey to launch a cross-border military push on October 9 against the Kurdish YPG militia, viewed by Ankara as “terrorists” linked to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).
Turkey has seized control of a “safe zone” inside Syria about 120 kilometres long and 32 kilometres deep. Tuesday’s agreement with Moscow will
see it preserve that zone between the towns of Tal Abyad and Ras al-Ain, giving Ankara a crucial presence inside the country.
From noon (0900 GMT) on Wednesday, Russian military police and Syrian border guards will “facilitate the removal” of Kurdish fighters and their weapons from within 30 kilometres of the border.
This withdrawal must be finalised within 150 hours, according to a text of the agreement released after the talks. Russian and
Turkish forces will then begin joint patrols along the Turkish-controlled zone. Turkey said it had been informed by the United States that their withdrawal from the border areas had been completed.
The Russian forces in Syria headed towards the Turkish border on Wednesday to ensure Kurdish fighters withdraw under a deal between Moscow and Ankara ousting them from the minority’s entire heartland.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump announced that the United States was lifting sanctions on Turkey, hailing the success of a ceasefire along its border with Syria. Trump, who has been under fire for abruptly withdrawing US troops from northern Syria, paving the way for Turkey to launch a deadly offensive against the Kurds, added that a “small number” of US troops would remain in the country.