Kurds complete withdrawal, Russia says
MOSCOW— Russia’s defense ministry said Tuesday that tens of thousands of Syrian Kurdish fighters have completed their withdrawal from areas along the Syrian border, in line with a recent Russia-Turkey deal.
Separately, a Russian military statement said an explosive device went off close to Russian armored vehicles near the Darbasiyah border checkpoint, but there were no injuries or damage.
Last week’s Russia-Turkey deal divides control of northeast Syria and has halted a Turkish invasion of the area. Ankara aimed to drive out Syrian Kurdish forces there.
The Kurdish-led forces had been U.S. allies during a five-year campaign against the Islamic State group in Syria. But U.S. forces withdrew from the area, allowing the Turkish offensive. The Kurds have since turned to Russia and the Syrian government in Damascus for protection.
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said Russian and Syrian troops have moved into the border zone following the Kurdish withdrawal, which he said had been completed ahead of Tuesday’s deadline. Ankara has threatened to resume its offensive if the Kurdish militias did not retreat.
The Russian military in Syria said 68 Kurdish units numbering a total of 34,000 fighters had pulled 19 miles back from the border in accordance with the deal.
Moscow and Ankara have agreed that Turkey gets to retain control over the areas it seized when it launched its offensive on Oct. 9. Russian and Syrian troops will control the rest of the frontier.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Russia has informed Turkey that Syrian Kurdish fighters have “completely been removed” from the areas in northeast Syria. Erdogan said Turkey would hold further talks as of Wednesday, without elaborating.