Turkey vowed to press ahead with its <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/britain-halts-weapon-exports-to-turkey-over-syria-offensive-foreign-secretary-dominic-raab-256092">offensive in northern Syria</a> on Tuesday despite US&nbsp;sanctions and growing calls for it to stop, while <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russian-forces-patrolling-between-syrian-turkish-forces-256159">Syria's Russia-backed army</a> moved on the key city of Manbij that was abandoned by US&nbsp;forces.

"They say 'declare a ceasefire'. We will never declare a ceasefire," Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan told reporters after a visit to Baku.

"They are pressuring us to stop the operation. They are announcing sanctions. Our goal is clear. We are not worried about any sanctions."

Erdogan said an attack from Manbij that killed one Turkish soldier was launched by Syrian government forces.

Reuters journalists accompanied Syrian government forces who entered the centre of Manbij, a flashpoint where US&nbsp;troops had previously conducted joint patrols with Turkey.

Russian and Syrian flags were flying from a building on the city outskirts and from a convoy of military vehicles.

Russia's Interfax news agency, citing Moscow's Defence Ministry, said later that Syrian forces had taken control of an area of more than 1,000 square km (386 miles) around Manbij, including Tabqa military airfield.

US&nbsp;President Donald Trump's unexpected decision to withhold protection from Syria's Kurds after a phone call with Erdogan a week ago swiftly upended five years of US&nbsp;policy on Syria.

As well as clearing the way for the Turkish incursion, the US&nbsp;withdrawal gives a free hand to Washington's adversaries in the world's deadliest ongoing war, namely Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his Russian and Iranian allies.

The Syrian army deployments into Kurdish-held territory amount to a victory for Assad and Russia, giving them a foothold in the biggest remaining swathe of Syria that had been beyond their grasp through much of its eight-year-old war.

The United States announced on Sunday it was withdrawing its entire force of 1,000 troops from northern Syria. Its former Kurdish allies immediately forged a new alliance with Assad's government, inviting the army into towns across their territory.

A Reuters cameraman on the Turkish frontier reported heavy bombardment on Tuesday morning of the Syrian border town of Ras al Ain, where an SDF spokesman reported a battle going on.

US&nbsp;military aircraft carried out a "show of force" around the town of Kobani after Turkish-backed fighters came close to American forces, a US&nbsp;official told Reuters. The Turkish-backed fighters dispersed after the show of force, the official said.

US&nbsp;Vice President Mike Pence will meet Erdogan on Thursday in Ankara.

"Vice President Pence will reiterate President Trump's commitment to maintaining punishing economic sanctions on Turkey until a resolution is reached," the White House said in a statement.

After Trump announced a set of sanctions on Monday to punish Ankara, US&nbsp;prosecutors hit Turkey with charges on the majority state-owned Halkbank for taking part in a multibillion-dollar scheme to evade US&nbsp;sanctions against Iran.

A Turkish embassy official in Washington said the indictment did not contribute positively to the current state of US-Turkey ties. Turkish and American officials had been in talks on the Halkbank case for at least a year.

More US sanctions pressure 

A senior Trump administration official said Washington would threaten more sanctions to persuade Turkey to reach a ceasefire and halt its offensive.

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, a loyal Trump supporter who has nevertheless been highly critical of the president's troop withdrawal, said he would introduce a bill on Thursday to impose tougher sanctions on Turkey.

The measures announced on Monday - mainly a hike in steel tariffs and a pause in trade talks - were less robust than financial markets had anticipated, and Trump's critics derided them as too feeble to have an impact.

The Turkish lira, which had fallen on the expectation of tougher US&nbsp;measures, recovered after the sanctions were announced, as did its bond and stock markets, with traders noting that Trump had spared Turkish banks.

Bilateral trade between Turkey and the United States is relatively small - around a tenth the size of Turkey's trade with Europe. Washington's most effective form of economic leverage would be to hinder Turkey's access to US&nbsp;financial markets, a step Trump has so far avoided.

In a potentially more damaging blow, German carmaker Volkswagen said it was postponing a final decision on whether to build a 1 billion euro ($1.1 billion) plant in Turkey, citing concern over "current developments".

Following Trump's announcement, the US&nbsp;Treasury said on Monday it had sanctioned Turkey's energy, defence and interior ministers.

Accusations of betrayal

Trump has defended his reversal of US&nbsp;policy as part of a plan to extricate the United States from "endless" wars in the Middle East.

But his critics cast it as a betrayal of the Kurds, loyal allies who lost thousands of fighters as the principal ground force in Washington's battle against Islamic State.

A senior US&nbsp;defence official said the US&nbsp;military would continue to combat Islamic State militants, who experts say could take advantage of the chaos to stage a resurgence.

"The intent is to reposition (US&nbsp;forces leaving Syria) and use what assets and personnel we have available to continue the mission," the official said.

However, without a partnership on the ground in Syria like the with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, any such US&nbsp;efforts would almost certainly be limited. The Kurdish YPG militia, the key component of the forces who fought Islamic State, is seen by Ankara as a terrorist group aligned with Kurdish separatist insurgents in Turkey.

Turkey says it aims to defeat the YPG and create a "safe zone" where millions of Syrian war refugees now in Turkey could be resettled.

The United Nations says 160,000 people have fled their homes as Turkish forces advance. The regional Kurdish administration puts the number of displaced at 270,000.

The U.N. Security Council will likely meet on Wednesday to discuss the latest developments in Syria, diplomats said, the second such session since Turkey began its offensive.

The U.N. Human Rights office said on Tuesday that Turkey could be held responsible for war crimes by fighters under its direction, potentially including the assassination of Hevrin Khalaf, a leading Kurdish politician killed on the side of a highway on Saturday by gunmen who posted the attack on the internet.

Turkish-backed fighters have denied blame for her murder.

Erdogan said Ankara was giving the world a chance to bring peace to the region.

"The international community missed its opportunity to prevent the Syrian crisis from pulling an entire region into a maelstrom of instability," he wrote in the Wall Street Journal. "The European Union - and the world - should support what Turkey is trying to do."

Turkey vowed to press ahead with its offensive in northern Syria on Tuesday despite US sanctions and growing calls for it to stop, while Syria's Russia-backed army moved on the key city of Manbij that was abandoned by US forces.

Turkey vowed to press ahead with its offensive in northern Syria on Tuesday despite US sanctions and growing calls for it to stop, while Syria's Russia-backed army moved on the key city of Manbij that was abandoned by US forces. "They say 'declare a ceasefire'. We will never declare a ceasefire," Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan told reporters after a visit to Baku. "They are pressuring us to stop the operation. They are announcing sanctions. Our goal is clear. We are not worried about any sanctions." Erdogan said an attack from Manbij that killed one Turkish soldier was launched by Syrian government forces. Reuters journalists accompanied Syrian government forces who entered the centre of Manbij, a flashpoint where US troops had previously conducted joint patrols with Turkey. Russian and Syrian flags were flying from a building on the city outskirts and from a convoy of military vehicles. Russia's Interfax news agency, citing Moscow's Defence Ministry, said later that Syrian forces had taken control of an area of more than 1,000 square km (386 miles) around Manbij, including Tabqa military airfield. US President Donald Trump's unexpected decision to withhold protection from Syria's Kurds after a phone call with Erdogan a week ago swiftly upended five years of US policy on Syria. As well as clearing the way for the Turkish incursion, the US withdrawal gives a free hand to Washington's adversaries in the world's deadliest ongoing war, namely Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his Russian and Iranian allies. The Syrian army deployments into Kurdish-held territory amount to a victory for Assad and Russia, giving them a foothold in the biggest remaining swathe of Syria that had been beyond their grasp through much of its eight-year-old war. The United States announced on Sunday it was withdrawing its entire force of 1,000 troops from northern Syria. Its former Kurdish allies immediately forged a new alliance with Assad's government, inviting the army into towns across their territory. A Reuters cameraman on the Turkish frontier reported heavy bombardment on Tuesday morning of the Syrian border town of Ras al Ain, where an SDF spokesman reported a battle going on. US military aircraft carried out a "show of force" around the town of Kobani after Turkish-backed fighters came close to American forces, a US official told Reuters. The Turkish-backed fighters dispersed after the show of force, the official said. US Vice President Mike Pence will meet Erdogan on Thursday in Ankara. "Vice President Pence will reiterate President Trump's commitment to maintaining punishing economic sanctions on Turkey until a resolution is reached," the White House said in a statement. After Trump announced a set of sanctions on Monday to punish Ankara, US prosecutors hit Turkey with charges on the majority state-owned Halkbank for taking part in a multibillion-dollar scheme to evade US sanctions against Iran. A Turkish embassy official in Washington said the indictment did not contribute positively to the current state of US-Turkey ties. Turkish and American officials had been in talks on the Halkbank case for at least a year. More US sanctions pressure A senior Trump administration official said Washington would threaten more sanctions to persuade Turkey to reach a ceasefire and halt its offensive. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, a loyal Trump supporter who has nevertheless been highly critical of the president's troop withdrawal, said he would introduce a bill on Thursday to impose tougher sanctions on Turkey. The measures announced on Monday - mainly a hike in steel tariffs and a pause in trade talks - were less robust than financial markets had anticipated, and Trump's critics derided them as too feeble to have an impact. The Turkish lira, which had fallen on the expectation of tougher US measures, recovered after the sanctions were announced, as did its bond and stock markets, with traders noting that Trump had spared Turkish banks. Bilateral trade between Turkey and the United States is relatively small - around a tenth the size of Turkey's trade with Europe. Washington's most effective form of economic leverage would be to hinder Turkey's access to US financial markets, a step Trump has so far avoided. In a potentially more damaging blow, German carmaker Volkswagen said it was postponing a final decision on whether to build a 1 billion euro ($1.1 billion) plant in Turkey, citing concern over "current developments". Following Trump's announcement, the US Treasury said on Monday it had sanctioned Turkey's energy, defence and interior ministers. Accusations of betrayal Trump has defended his reversal of US policy as part of a plan to extricate the United States from "endless" wars in the Middle East. But his critics cast it as a betrayal of the Kurds, loyal allies who lost thousands of fighters as the principal ground force in Washington's battle against Islamic State. A senior US defence official said the US military would continue to combat Islamic State militants, who experts say could take advantage of the chaos to stage a resurgence. "The intent is to reposition (US forces leaving Syria) and use what assets and personnel we have available to continue the mission," the official said. However, without a partnership on the ground in Syria like the with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, any such US efforts would almost certainly be limited. The Kurdish YPG militia, the key component of the forces who fought Islamic State, is seen by Ankara as a terrorist group aligned with Kurdish separatist insurgents in Turkey. Turkey says it aims to defeat the YPG and create a "safe zone" where millions of Syrian war refugees now in Turkey could be resettled. The United Nations says 160,000 people have fled their homes as Turkish forces advance. The regional Kurdish administration puts the number of displaced at 270,000. The U.N. Security Council will likely meet on Wednesday to discuss the latest developments in Syria, diplomats said, the second such session since Turkey began its offensive. The U.N. Human Rights office said on Tuesday that Turkey could be held responsible for war crimes by fighters under its direction, potentially including the assassination of Hevrin Khalaf, a leading Kurdish politician killed on the side of a highway on Saturday by gunmen who posted the attack on the internet. Turkish-backed fighters have denied blame for her murder. Erdogan said Ankara was giving the world a chance to bring peace to the region. "The international community missed its opportunity to prevent the Syrian crisis from pulling an entire region into a maelstrom of instability," he wrote in the Wall Street Journal. "The European Union - and the world - should support what Turkey is trying to do."

Turkey pushes offensive in Syria, despite sanctions and calls to stop

The United Nations Special Envoy for Syria called on Wednesday for an immediate <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/arrests-extortion-detention-syrians-warned-against-heading-home-256255">end to hostilities along its border with Turkey</a>, where Ankara has launched an assault and Damascus advanced its forces after United States&nbsp;troops pulled out.

Geir Pedersen raised Turkey's week-old incursion into northeastern Syria in talks in Damascus Syria's Foreign Minister Walid al-Moualem.

Pedersen told Reuters TV the U.N. was extremely concerned about the humanitarian consequences of the crisis and called for an "immediate cessation of hostilities".

Moualem was quoted by state news agency SANA as saying <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hundreds-of-syria-kurds-seek-refuge-in-iraq-256251">Turkey's aggression was prolonging the crisis in Syria</a> and undermining efforts to secure a political settlement.

Pedersen's trip had been planned to discuss preparations for the first meeting of Syria's Constitutional Committee, due to take place in Geneva on October&nbsp;30.

A congress convened by Russia, a leading ally of Syrian President Bashir al-Assad, has asked the United Nations to form the 150-member committee to draft a new constitution after many rounds of talks to end the war had failed.

The United Nations Special Envoy for Syria called on Wednesday for an immediate end to hostilities along its border with Turkey, where Ankara has launched an assault and Damascus advanced its forces after United States troops pulled out.

The United Nations Special Envoy for Syria called on Wednesday for an immediate end to hostilities along its border with Turkey, where Ankara has launched an assault and Damascus advanced its forces after United States troops pulled out. Geir Pedersen raised Turkey's week-old incursion into northeastern Syria in talks in Damascus Syria's Foreign Minister Walid al-Moualem. Pedersen told Reuters TV the U.N. was extremely concerned about the humanitarian consequences of the crisis and called for an "immediate cessation of hostilities". Moualem was quoted by state news agency SANA as saying Turkey's aggression was prolonging the crisis in Syria and undermining efforts to secure a political settlement. Pedersen's trip had been planned to discuss preparations for the first meeting of Syria's Constitutional Committee, due to take place in Geneva on October 30. A congress convened by Russia, a leading ally of Syrian President Bashir al-Assad, has asked the United Nations to form the 150-member committee to draft a new constitution after many rounds of talks to end the war had failed.

United Nations Syria envoy calls for ceasefire in northeast border area

Turkey launched an offensive targeting Syrian Kurdish fighters last week after US troops allied to them pulled out.

Erdogan rejects US ceasefire call on Syria

Turkey, like much of the Middle East, is discovering that what goes around comes around.

Not only because President Recep Tayyip Erdogan seems to have miscalculated the fallout of what may prove to be a foolhardy intervention in Syria and neglected alternative options that could have strengthened Turkey’s position without sparking the ire of much of the international community.&nbsp;

But also because what could prove to be a strategic error is rooted in a policy of decades of denial of Kurdish identity and suppression of Kurdish cultural and political rights that was more likely than not to fuel conflict rather than encourage societal cohesion.

The policy midwife the birth in the 1970s to militant groups like the Kurdish Workers Party (PKK), which only dropped its demand for Kurdish independence in recent years.

The group that has waged a low-intensity insurgency that has cost tens of thousands of lives has been declared a terrorist organisation by Turkey, the United States and the European Union.

Turkish refusal to acknowledge the rights of the Kurds, who are believed to account for up to 20 per cent of the country’s population, traces its roots to the carving of modern Turkey out of the ruins of the Ottoman empire by its visionary founder, Mustafa Kemal, widely known as Ataturk, Father of the Turks.

It is entrenched in Kemal’s declaration in a speech in 1923 to celebrate Turkish independence of “How happy is the one who calls himself a Turk,” an effort to forge a national identity for the country that was an ethnic mosaic.

The phrase was incorporated half a century later in Turkey’s student oath and ultimately removed from it in 2013 at a time of peace talks between Turkey and the PKK by then prime minister, now president Erdogan.

It took the influx of hundreds of thousands of Iraqi Kurds in the late 1980s and early 1990s as well as the 1991 declaration by the United States, Britain and France of a no-fly zone in northern Iraq that enabled the emergence of an autonomous Iraqi Kurdish region to spark debate in Turkey about the Kurdish question and prompt the government to refer to Kurds as Kurds rather than mountain Turks.

Ironically, Turkey’s enduring refusal to acknowledge Kurdish rights and its long neglect of the development of the predominantly Kurdish southeast of the country fuelled demands for greater rights rather than majority support for Kurdish secession largely despite the emergence of the PKK.

Most Turkish Kurds, who could rise to the highest offices in the lands long as they are identified as Turks rather than Kurds, resembled Palestinians with Israeli citizenship, whose options were more limited even if they endorsed the notion of a Jewish state.

Nonetheless, both minorities favoured an independent state for their brethren on the other side of the border but did not want to surrender the opportunities that either Turkey or Israel offered them.

The existence for close to three decades of a Kurdish regional government in northern Iraq and a 2017 referendum in which an overwhelming majority voted for Iraqi Kurdish independence, bitterly rejected and ultimately nullified by Iraqi, Turkish and Iranian opposition, did little to fundamentally change Turkish Kurdish attitudes.

If the referendum briefly soured Turkish-Iraqi Kurdish relations, it failed to undermine the basic understanding underlying a relationship that could have guided Turkey’s approach towards the Kurds in Syria even if dealing with Iraqi Kurds may have been easier because, unlike Turkish Kurds, they had not engaged in political violence against Turkey.

The notion that there was no alternative to the Turkish intervention in Syria is further countered by the fact that Turkish PKK negotiations that started in 2012 led a year later to a ceasefire and a boosting of efforts to secure a peaceful resolution.

The talks prompted imprisoned PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan to publish a letter endorsing the ceasefire, the disarmament and withdrawal from Turkey of PKK fighters, and a call for an end to the insurgency. Ocalan predicted that 2013 would be the year in which the Turkish Kurdish issues would be resolved peacefully.

The PKK's military leader, Cemil Bayik, told the BBC three years later that "We don't want to separate from Turkey and set up a state. We want to live within the borders of Turkey on our own land freely.”

The talks broke down in 2015 against the backdrop of the Syrian war and the rise as a US ally of the United States in the fight against the Islamic State of the PKK’s Syrian affiliate, the People's Protection Units (YPG).

Bitterly opposed to the US-YPG alliance, Turkey demanded that the PKK halt its resumption of attacks on Turkish targets and disarm prior to further negotiations.

Turkey responded to the breakdown and resumption of violence with a brutal crackdown in the southeast of the country and on the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP).

Nonetheless, in a statement issued from prison earlier this year that envisioned an understanding between Turkey and Syrian Kurdish forces believed to be aligned with the PKK, Ocalan declared that “We believe, with regard to the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), the problems in Syria should be resolved within the framework of the unity of Syria, based on constitutional guarantees and local democratic perspectives. In this regard, it should be sensitive to Turkey’s concerns.”

Turkey’s emergence as one of Iraqi Kurdistan’s foremost investors and trading partners in exchange for Iraqi Kurdish acquiescence in Turkish countering the PKK’s presence in the region could have provided inspiration for a US-sponsored safe zone in northern Syria that Washington and Ankara had contemplated.

The Turkish-Iraqi Kurdish understanding enabled Turkey to allow an armed Iraqi Kurdish force to transit Turkish territory in 2014 to help prevent the Islamic State from conquering the Syrian city of Kobani.

A safe zone would have helped “realign the relationship between Turkey’s Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) and its Syrian offshoot.

The safe-zone arrangements…envision(ed) drawing down the YPG presence along the border—a good starting point for reining in the PKK, improving US ties with Ankara, and avoiding a potentially destructive Turkish intervention in Syria,” Turkey scholar Sonar Cagaptay suggested in August.

The opportunity that could have created the beginnings of a sustainable solution that would have benefitted Turkey, as well as the Kurds, fell by the wayside with Trump’s decision to withdraw US troops from northern Syria.

In many ways, Erdogan’s decision to opt for a military solution fits the mould of a critical mass of world leaders who look at the world through a civilisational prism and often view national borders in relative terms.

Russian leader Vladimir Putin pointed the way with his 2008 intervention in Georgia and the annexation in 2014 of Crimea as well as Russia’s stirring of pro-Russian insurgencies in two regions of Ukraine.

Erdogan appears to believe that if Putin can pull it off, so can he. 
 
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)&nbsp;

Turkey, like much of the Middle East, is discovering that what goes around comes around. Not only because President Recep Tayyip Erdogan seems to have miscalculated the fallout of what may prove to be a foolhardy intervention in Syria and neglected alternative options that could have strengthened Turkey’s position without sparking the ire of much of the international community.

Turkey, like much of the Middle East, is discovering that what goes around comes around. Not only because President Recep Tayyip Erdogan seems to have miscalculated the fallout of what may prove to be a foolhardy intervention in Syria and neglected alternative options that could have strengthened Turkey’s position without sparking the ire of much of the international community. But also because what could prove to be a strategic error is rooted in a policy of decades of denial of Kurdish identity and suppression of Kurdish cultural and political rights that was more likely than not to fuel conflict rather than encourage societal cohesion. The policy midwife the birth in the 1970s to militant groups like the Kurdish Workers Party (PKK), which only dropped its demand for Kurdish independence in recent years. The group that has waged a low-intensity insurgency that has cost tens of thousands of lives has been declared a terrorist organisation by Turkey, the United States and the European Union. Turkish refusal to acknowledge the rights of the Kurds, who are believed to account for up to 20 per cent of the country’s population, traces its roots to the carving of modern Turkey out of the ruins of the Ottoman empire by its visionary founder, Mustafa Kemal, widely known as Ataturk, Father of the Turks. It is entrenched in Kemal’s declaration in a speech in 1923 to celebrate Turkish independence of “How happy is the one who calls himself a Turk,” an effort to forge a national identity for the country that was an ethnic mosaic. The phrase was incorporated half a century later in Turkey’s student oath and ultimately removed from it in 2013 at a time of peace talks between Turkey and the PKK by then prime minister, now president Erdogan. It took the influx of hundreds of thousands of Iraqi Kurds in the late 1980s and early 1990s as well as the 1991 declaration by the United States, Britain and France of a no-fly zone in northern Iraq that enabled the emergence of an autonomous Iraqi Kurdish region to spark debate in Turkey about the Kurdish question and prompt the government to refer to Kurds as Kurds rather than mountain Turks. Ironically, Turkey’s enduring refusal to acknowledge Kurdish rights and its long neglect of the development of the predominantly Kurdish southeast of the country fuelled demands for greater rights rather than majority support for Kurdish secession largely despite the emergence of the PKK. Most Turkish Kurds, who could rise to the highest offices in the lands long as they are identified as Turks rather than Kurds, resembled Palestinians with Israeli citizenship, whose options were more limited even if they endorsed the notion of a Jewish state. Nonetheless, both minorities favoured an independent state for their brethren on the other side of the border but did not want to surrender the opportunities that either Turkey or Israel offered them. The existence for close to three decades of a Kurdish regional government in northern Iraq and a 2017 referendum in which an overwhelming majority voted for Iraqi Kurdish independence, bitterly rejected and ultimately nullified by Iraqi, Turkish and Iranian opposition, did little to fundamentally change Turkish Kurdish attitudes. If the referendum briefly soured Turkish-Iraqi Kurdish relations, it failed to undermine the basic understanding underlying a relationship that could have guided Turkey’s approach towards the Kurds in Syria even if dealing with Iraqi Kurds may have been easier because, unlike Turkish Kurds, they had not engaged in political violence against Turkey. The notion that there was no alternative to the Turkish intervention in Syria is further countered by the fact that Turkish PKK negotiations that started in 2012 led a year later to a ceasefire and a boosting of efforts to secure a peaceful resolution. The talks prompted imprisoned PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan to publish a letter endorsing the ceasefire, the disarmament and withdrawal from Turkey of PKK fighters, and a call for an end to the insurgency. Ocalan predicted that 2013 would be the year in which the Turkish Kurdish issues would be resolved peacefully. The PKK's military leader, Cemil Bayik, told the BBC three years later that "We don't want to separate from Turkey and set up a state. We want to live within the borders of Turkey on our own land freely.” The talks broke down in 2015 against the backdrop of the Syrian war and the rise as a US ally of the United States in the fight against the Islamic State of the PKK’s Syrian affiliate, the People's Protection Units (YPG). Bitterly opposed to the US-YPG alliance, Turkey demanded that the PKK halt its resumption of attacks on Turkish targets and disarm prior to further negotiations. Turkey responded to the breakdown and resumption of violence with a brutal crackdown in the southeast of the country and on the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP). Nonetheless, in a statement issued from prison earlier this year that envisioned an understanding between Turkey and Syrian Kurdish forces believed to be aligned with the PKK, Ocalan declared that “We believe, with regard to the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), the problems in Syria should be resolved within the framework of the unity of Syria, based on constitutional guarantees and local democratic perspectives. In this regard, it should be sensitive to Turkey’s concerns.” Turkey’s emergence as one of Iraqi Kurdistan’s foremost investors and trading partners in exchange for Iraqi Kurdish acquiescence in Turkish countering the PKK’s presence in the region could have provided inspiration for a US-sponsored safe zone in northern Syria that Washington and Ankara had contemplated. The Turkish-Iraqi Kurdish understanding enabled Turkey to allow an armed Iraqi Kurdish force to transit Turkish territory in 2014 to help prevent the Islamic State from conquering the Syrian city of Kobani. A safe zone would have helped “realign the relationship between Turkey’s Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) and its Syrian offshoot. The safe-zone arrangements…envision(ed) drawing down the YPG presence along the border—a good starting point for reining in the PKK, improving US ties with Ankara, and avoiding a potentially destructive Turkish intervention in Syria,” Turkey scholar Sonar Cagaptay suggested in August. The opportunity that could have created the beginnings of a sustainable solution that would have benefitted Turkey, as well as the Kurds, fell by the wayside with Trump’s decision to withdraw US troops from northern Syria. In many ways, Erdogan’s decision to opt for a military solution fits the mould of a critical mass of world leaders who look at the world through a civilisational prism and often view national borders in relative terms. Russian leader Vladimir Putin pointed the way with his 2008 intervention in Georgia and the annexation in 2014 of Crimea as well as Russia’s stirring of pro-Russian insurgencies in two regions of Ukraine. Erdogan appears to believe that if Putin can pull it off, so can he. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Explained: Turkey's decision to opt for military action in Syria

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hundreds-of-syria-kurds-seek-refuge-in-iraq-256251">Syrians returning to their homes</a> after being displaced by the country's eight-year civil war face arbitrary detentions, endemic corruption and inefficient public services, an activist group said Wednesday.

After a series of Russia-backed victories against jihadists and other rebels, President Bashar al-Assad's government is back in control of around 60 per cent of Syria.

Moscow and Damascus are trying to encourage Syrians displaced by the war in and outside the country to make their way home.

But the Syrian Association for Citizens' Dignity warned against returns to areas back under the control of President Bashar al-Assad's government.

"It is not safe for displaced Syrians to return to Assad-held areas," SACD warned in a report released in Istanbul, based on the testimony of 165 people living in government-held areas.

"Two-thirds of the interviewees stated that they live in constant fear of arrest or harassment from the security services and various militias that run a maze of checkpoints," it said.

"Forced conscription into Assad's forces is rampant."&nbsp;

The report, which gathered testimonies from Aleppo, Homs and Daraa provinces, said residents also have to deal with&nbsp;blackmail and demands for bribes.

"Corruption and extortion by the regime and militias permeate every aspect of life for returnees," the report said.

More than 60 per cent of respondents found health standards to be sub-standard, and an overwhelming majority complained about very poor water, electricity and municipal services.&nbsp;

Among the 5.6 million <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/turkeys-erdogan-rules-out-talks-with-syrian-kurdish-forces-256247">Syrians who have fled to neighbouring countries</a>, a majority live in Turkey and Lebanon, countries which have stepped up pressure on them in recent months in a bid to persuade them to go home.

The UN refugee agency UNHCR has repeatedly stressed all returns should be voluntary.

It says 198,000 Syrians went home between 2016 and August this year.

But the Damascus government has denied reports that returnees are arrested.

"I defy them to share the name of a single person who has been arrested among those who have returned to Syria," Foreign Minister Walid Muallem said earlier this month.

"We don't detain anyone. We encourage them to make safe returns to their villages."

Syrians returning to their homes after being displaced by the country's eight-year civil war face arbitrary detentions, endemic corruption and inefficient public services, an activist group said Wednesday.

Syrians returning to their homes after being displaced by the country's eight-year civil war face arbitrary detentions, endemic corruption and inefficient public services, an activist group said Wednesday. After a series of Russia-backed victories against jihadists and other rebels, President Bashar al-Assad's government is back in control of around 60 per cent of Syria. Moscow and Damascus are trying to encourage Syrians displaced by the war in and outside the country to make their way home. But the Syrian Association for Citizens' Dignity warned against returns to areas back under the control of President Bashar al-Assad's government. "It is not safe for displaced Syrians to return to Assad-held areas," SACD warned in a report released in Istanbul, based on the testimony of 165 people living in government-held areas. "Two-thirds of the interviewees stated that they live in constant fear of arrest or harassment from the security services and various militias that run a maze of checkpoints," it said. "Forced conscription into Assad's forces is rampant." The report, which gathered testimonies from Aleppo, Homs and Daraa provinces, said residents also have to deal with blackmail and demands for bribes. "Corruption and extortion by the regime and militias permeate every aspect of life for returnees," the report said. More than 60 per cent of respondents found health standards to be sub-standard, and an overwhelming majority complained about very poor water, electricity and municipal services. Among the 5.6 million Syrians who have fled to neighbouring countries, a majority live in Turkey and Lebanon, countries which have stepped up pressure on them in recent months in a bid to persuade them to go home. The UN refugee agency UNHCR has repeatedly stressed all returns should be voluntary. It says 198,000 Syrians went home between 2016 and August this year. But the Damascus government has denied reports that returnees are arrested. "I defy them to share the name of a single person who has been arrested among those who have returned to Syria," Foreign Minister Walid Muallem said earlier this month. "We don't detain anyone. We encourage them to make safe returns to their villages."

Arrests, extortion, detention: Syrians warned against heading home

Some 500 Syrian Kurds have entered neighbouring Iraqi Kurdistan over the past four days fleeing a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/turkey-pushes-offensive-in-syria-despite-sanctions-and-calls-to-stop-256184">Turkish invasion</a> now entering its second week, officials said on Wednesday.

The refugees were taken to camps in Iraq's autonomous Kurdish region, an official in the border province of Dohuk told AFP.

Iraqi Kurdistan previously hosted more than one million Iraqis who fled fighting with the jihadists of the Islamic State group between 2014 and 2017.

NGOs operating in the region said they had been on alert since Ankara launched its invasion of northern Syria on October 9.

On Saturday evening, 182 Syrian Kurds started crossing the border into Iraqi Kurdistan "to escape bombardments in northeastern Syria", the International Organization for Migration said.

Dohuk province humanitarian affairs chief Ismail Ahmed said they were "Syrian Kurds already living in Iraqi Kurdistan, who went to visit relatives in Syria before returning because of the bombardments."

On Wednesday, fresh fighting was reported in northern Syria pitting <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/turkey-pushes-offensive-in-syria-despite-sanctions-and-calls-to-stop-256184">Turkey's Syrian proxies against Kurdish forces</a> backed by the Syrian army.&nbsp;

Damascus deployed troops to Kurdish-held areas that had been outside its control since 2012 under an accord with Kurdish authorities announced on Sunday.

Some 500 Syrian Kurds have entered neighbouring Iraqi Kurdistan over the past four days fleeing a Turkish invasion now entering its second week, officials said on Wednesday.

Some 500 Syrian Kurds have entered neighbouring Iraqi Kurdistan over the past four days fleeing a Turkish invasion now entering its second week, officials said on Wednesday. The refugees were taken to camps in Iraq's autonomous Kurdish region, an official in the border province of Dohuk told AFP. Iraqi Kurdistan previously hosted more than one million Iraqis who fled fighting with the jihadists of the Islamic State group between 2014 and 2017. NGOs operating in the region said they had been on alert since Ankara launched its invasion of northern Syria on October 9. On Saturday evening, 182 Syrian Kurds started crossing the border into Iraqi Kurdistan "to escape bombardments in northeastern Syria", the International Organization for Migration said. Dohuk province humanitarian affairs chief Ismail Ahmed said they were "Syrian Kurds already living in Iraqi Kurdistan, who went to visit relatives in Syria before returning because of the bombardments." On Wednesday, fresh fighting was reported in northern Syria pitting Turkey's Syrian proxies against Kurdish forces backed by the Syrian army. Damascus deployed troops to Kurdish-held areas that had been outside its control since 2012 under an accord with Kurdish authorities announced on Sunday.

Hundreds of Syria Kurds seek refuge in Iraq

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday firmly ruled out any negotiations with <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/vladimir-putin-invites-turkish-president-erdogan-to-russia-amid-syria-offensive-256223">Kurdish militants in Syria</a> as the United States pushed for a ceasefire.&nbsp;

"There are some leaders who are trying to mediate... There has never been any such thing in the history of the Turkish republic as the state sitting at the same table with a terror organisation," Erdogan said in a speech to parliament.

Meanwhile, Turkish police have detained nearly 200 people over their social media posts against its <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/we-dont-approve-of-turkish-actions-in-syria-russia-256210">military offensive in Syria</a> since the operation began last week, state news agency Anadolu said Wednesday.

Of the 186 people held, 24 have been formally arrested, according to Anadolu.&nbsp;

So far, 78 were released and 40 were freed under judicial control, while legal proceedings were ongoing for the rest, it said.

Among those detained for "terrorist propaganda" against the operation this week were the co-presidents of the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), Sezai Temelli and Pervin Buldan.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/turkey-pushes-offensive-in-syria-despite-sanctions-and-calls-to-stop-256184">Turkey launched Operation Peace Spring against Kurdish militants in Syria a week ago</a>.&nbsp;

It is thought to have widespread support at home but has been widely criticised by the international community, who relied on Kurdish forces to fight the Islamic State group.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday firmly ruled out any negotiations with Kurdish militants in Syria as the United States pushed for a ceasefire.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday firmly ruled out any negotiations with Kurdish militants in Syria as the United States pushed for a ceasefire. "There are some leaders who are trying to mediate... There has never been any such thing in the history of the Turkish republic as the state sitting at the same table with a terror organisation," Erdogan said in a speech to parliament. Meanwhile, Turkish police have detained nearly 200 people over their social media posts against its military offensive in Syria since the operation began last week, state news agency Anadolu said Wednesday. Of the 186 people held, 24 have been formally arrested, according to Anadolu. So far, 78 were released and 40 were freed under judicial control, while legal proceedings were ongoing for the rest, it said. Among those detained for "terrorist propaganda" against the operation this week were the co-presidents of the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), Sezai Temelli and Pervin Buldan. Turkey launched Operation Peace Spring against Kurdish militants in Syria a week ago. It is thought to have widespread support at home but has been widely criticised by the international community, who relied on Kurdish forces to fight the Islamic State group.

Turkey's Erdogan rules out talks with Syrian Kurdish forces

By Haidar Khezri

Kurdish fighters under attack by Turkey have described President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw US troops from northern Syria as a “stab in the back.”

Since the bombing began on October 9, Turkish military operations against the Syrian Democratic Forces in northern Syria, Washington’s staunchest and most effective allies in the war against the Islamic State, has killed at least 11 civilians and an unconfirmed number of Kurdish fighters, with estimates ranging from dozens to hundreds.

Kurdish fighters are key partners to the US in the Middle East. From 2003 to 2017, they helped overthrow the regime of Saddam Hussein, battled al-Qaida and pushed the Islamic State out of northern Iraq and Syria.

Kurdish women have fought on the front lines in all these battles, as they have done since the 19th-century Kurdish commander Kara Fatma led an Ottoman battalion of 700 men and 43 women against the Russian Empire.

That was unusual for the period – but, then again, Kurdish women have long been exceptions in the mostly conservative Middle East.

Who are the Kurds?

Kurdistan, where I was born, is among the largest nations in the world without a state. Around 35 million Kurds inhabit a mountainous zone straddling Turkey, Iran, Iraq, Syria and Armenia.

The Kurds were first split up politically in the 17th century when their territory was divided between the Ottoman and Safavid empires. Back then, the Roman scholar Pietro Della Valle travelled to the region and was surprised to find “Kurdish women commuting freely without hijab.” He noted in his 1667 travelogue that “they engage with Kurdish men and foreigners without any problems.”

After World War I, a treaty between Britain and France, called the Sykes-Picot Agreement, drew arbitrary borders across the Middle East, creating colonial protectorate states. The partition again fragmented the Kurds, this time across four countries: modern-day Turkey, Iran, Iraq and Syria.

The Kurds have been fighting for their sovereignty ever since. In recent decades, they have succeeded in establishing autonomously governed regions within Iraq and Syria.

But in Iran and Turkey, the Kurds continue their armed struggle. Both countries to view this ethnic minority as a terrorist threat and legally repress Kurdish populations.

This setup has put Kurdistan – domestically a rather peaceable, prosperous place with significant oil reserves – squarely in the center of a geopolitical quagmire.

Until Trump’s recent turnaround, the US had backed the Kurds in Syria, Iraq and Iran, where they were critical to defeating the Islamic State and served as jailers to about 11,000 captured IS fighters.

But Turkey – a US ally – sees the armed Kurds in Syria as an extension of the rebel Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, which has been fighting for Kurdish autonomy in Turkey since the 1980s.

In May 2018, over 250 people were killed when Turkey bombed the Kurdish-majority Syrian city of Afrin, which Turkish armed forces consider a “terrorist corridor.”

The feminists of the PKK

The Marxist-Leninist PKK, founded in 1978, may be an enemy of the Turkish state, but it is also one of the most feminist movements in the Middle East.

The group held its first congress on women’s rights in 1987, in which PKK co-founder Sakine Cansiz – who was assassinated in 2013 – proposed that its “liberation for all” rhetoric must include women’s liberation, too.

Today the party’s political agenda explicitly recognises religious minorities, dissidents and women as the crux of democracy.

In the autonomous Kurdish regions of Iraq and Syria, women have the same legal rights as men. Indeed, the Iraqi Kurdish regional government has a higher proportion of women than the United Kingdom – 30 per cent versus 20 per cent.

The charter of the semi-autonomous Syrian Federation of Kurdistan, founded in 2012, requires that women must hold a minimum of 40 per cent of all government posts. Every Kurdish Syrian public institution must also have two co-presidents, one male and one female.

Women also make up 30 per cent of Kurdish fighters deployed across the Middle East. More than 25,000 Kurdish women are deployed in Syria as the Women’s Protection Units, an all-female militia inspired by the KPP’s feminist liberation ideology.

In contrast, about 14 per cent of US military service members are women.

Female Kurdish troops rescued thousands of Yazidis trapped by the Islamic State on Iraq’s Mount Sinjar in 2014 and helped liberate the city of Raqqa from the Islamic State in 2017.

Equal in battle but not everywhere else

Despite the relative freedom of women in Kurdistan compared to elsewhere in the Middle East, Kurdish society is not entirely gender equal.

In 2014, only 12 of 250 judges in Iraqi Kurdistan were female, and just one of 21 government ministers was. Female genital mutilation, child marriage and honour killings – in which male family members murder women who are alleged to have disgraced their families – persist, particularly in rural areas of Kurdistan.

And, in my experience, feminist debates like equal pay for women and #MeToo aren’t yet a topic of conversation in Kurdistan.

Historically, too, it’s noteworthy that many famous female Kurdish leaders succeeded only because their empowerment did not challenge the male establishment.

During World War I, Lady Adela Khanum, leader of the Kurdish region of Halabja, saved the lives of numerous British army officers on the battlefield, earning her the nickname “Princess of the Brave.”

But she originally rose to power because she inherited the position when her husband died. While ruling Halabja from 1909 to 1924, she did not push a women’s rights agenda.

The hard labour of freedom

Kurdish women who were seen as threats to male authority have often been punished, sometimes with death.

That’s what happened to the very first woman to fight in the Kurdish army. Margaret George Malik quickly rose up among the all-male ranks in the 1960s to lead troops in the Kurdish war for independence from Iraq.

She was murdered in 1969 under mysterious circumstances. Some historians believe that Malik was killed by her lover because she rejected his marriage proposal. Others say she was assassinated by the Kurdish leadership, which feared her growing influence.

Either way, Malik’s murder speaks to the battles Kurdish women still fight today.

It’s meaningful that in the Kurdish language, the word for woman – “jin” – shares a root with the word for life: “jiyan.” And both jin and jiyan are related to the word “jan,” or labour pains.

In a region surrounded by threats – from Turkey’s attacks and Islamic State terrorism and patriarchy at home – the women of Kurdistan are fighting for their life and liberty. And the cost is hard, dangerous labour.

 
(Haidar Khezri is Assistant Professor, University of Central Florida)

(This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the<a href="https://theconversation.com/kurds-targeted-in-turkish-attack-include-thousands-of-female-fighters-who-battled-islamic-state-125100"> original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL) &nbsp;

By Haidar Khezri Kurdish fighters under attack by Turkey have described President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw US troops from northern Syria as a “stab in the back.

By Haidar Khezri Kurdish fighters under attack by Turkey have described President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw US troops from northern Syria as a “stab in the back.” Since the bombing began on October 9, Turkish military operations against the Syrian Democratic Forces in northern Syria, Washington’s staunchest and most effective allies in the war against the Islamic State, has killed at least 11 civilians and an unconfirmed number of Kurdish fighters, with estimates ranging from dozens to hundreds. Kurdish fighters are key partners to the US in the Middle East. From 2003 to 2017, they helped overthrow the regime of Saddam Hussein, battled al-Qaida and pushed the Islamic State out of northern Iraq and Syria. Kurdish women have fought on the front lines in all these battles, as they have done since the 19th-century Kurdish commander Kara Fatma led an Ottoman battalion of 700 men and 43 women against the Russian Empire. That was unusual for the period – but, then again, Kurdish women have long been exceptions in the mostly conservative Middle East. Who are the Kurds? Kurdistan, where I was born, is among the largest nations in the world without a state. Around 35 million Kurds inhabit a mountainous zone straddling Turkey, Iran, Iraq, Syria and Armenia. The Kurds were first split up politically in the 17th century when their territory was divided between the Ottoman and Safavid empires. Back then, the Roman scholar Pietro Della Valle travelled to the region and was surprised to find “Kurdish women commuting freely without hijab.” He noted in his 1667 travelogue that “they engage with Kurdish men and foreigners without any problems.” After World War I, a treaty between Britain and France, called the Sykes-Picot Agreement, drew arbitrary borders across the Middle East, creating colonial protectorate states. The partition again fragmented the Kurds, this time across four countries: modern-day Turkey, Iran, Iraq and Syria. The Kurds have been fighting for their sovereignty ever since. In recent decades, they have succeeded in establishing autonomously governed regions within Iraq and Syria. But in Iran and Turkey, the Kurds continue their armed struggle. Both countries to view this ethnic minority as a terrorist threat and legally repress Kurdish populations. This setup has put Kurdistan – domestically a rather peaceable, prosperous place with significant oil reserves – squarely in the center of a geopolitical quagmire. Until Trump’s recent turnaround, the US had backed the Kurds in Syria, Iraq and Iran, where they were critical to defeating the Islamic State and served as jailers to about 11,000 captured IS fighters. But Turkey – a US ally – sees the armed Kurds in Syria as an extension of the rebel Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, which has been fighting for Kurdish autonomy in Turkey since the 1980s. In May 2018, over 250 people were killed when Turkey bombed the Kurdish-majority Syrian city of Afrin, which Turkish armed forces consider a “terrorist corridor.” The feminists of the PKK The Marxist-Leninist PKK, founded in 1978, may be an enemy of the Turkish state, but it is also one of the most feminist movements in the Middle East. The group held its first congress on women’s rights in 1987, in which PKK co-founder Sakine Cansiz – who was assassinated in 2013 – proposed that its “liberation for all” rhetoric must include women’s liberation, too. Today the party’s political agenda explicitly recognises religious minorities, dissidents and women as the crux of democracy. In the autonomous Kurdish regions of Iraq and Syria, women have the same legal rights as men. Indeed, the Iraqi Kurdish regional government has a higher proportion of women than the United Kingdom – 30 per cent versus 20 per cent. The charter of the semi-autonomous Syrian Federation of Kurdistan, founded in 2012, requires that women must hold a minimum of 40 per cent of all government posts. Every Kurdish Syrian public institution must also have two co-presidents, one male and one female. Women also make up 30 per cent of Kurdish fighters deployed across the Middle East. More than 25,000 Kurdish women are deployed in Syria as the Women’s Protection Units, an all-female militia inspired by the KPP’s feminist liberation ideology. In contrast, about 14 per cent of US military service members are women. Female Kurdish troops rescued thousands of Yazidis trapped by the Islamic State on Iraq’s Mount Sinjar in 2014 and helped liberate the city of Raqqa from the Islamic State in 2017. Equal in battle but not everywhere else Despite the relative freedom of women in Kurdistan compared to elsewhere in the Middle East, Kurdish society is not entirely gender equal. In 2014, only 12 of 250 judges in Iraqi Kurdistan were female, and just one of 21 government ministers was. Female genital mutilation, child marriage and honour killings – in which male family members murder women who are alleged to have disgraced their families – persist, particularly in rural areas of Kurdistan. And, in my experience, feminist debates like equal pay for women and #MeToo aren’t yet a topic of conversation in Kurdistan. Historically, too, it’s noteworthy that many famous female Kurdish leaders succeeded only because their empowerment did not challenge the male establishment. During World War I, Lady Adela Khanum, leader of the Kurdish region of Halabja, saved the lives of numerous British army officers on the battlefield, earning her the nickname “Princess of the Brave.” But she originally rose to power because she inherited the position when her husband died. While ruling Halabja from 1909 to 1924, she did not push a women’s rights agenda. The hard labour of freedom Kurdish women who were seen as threats to male authority have often been punished, sometimes with death. That’s what happened to the very first woman to fight in the Kurdish army. Margaret George Malik quickly rose up among the all-male ranks in the 1960s to lead troops in the Kurdish war for independence from Iraq. She was murdered in 1969 under mysterious circumstances. Some historians believe that Malik was killed by her lover because she rejected his marriage proposal. Others say she was assassinated by the Kurdish leadership, which feared her growing influence. Either way, Malik’s murder speaks to the battles Kurdish women still fight today. It’s meaningful that in the Kurdish language, the word for woman – “jin” – shares a root with the word for life: “jiyan.” And both jin and jiyan are related to the word “jan,” or labour pains. In a region surrounded by threats – from Turkey’s attacks and Islamic State terrorism and patriarchy at home – the women of Kurdistan are fighting for their life and liberty. And the cost is hard, dangerous labour. (Haidar Khezri is Assistant Professor, University of Central Florida) (This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Kurdish women have been exceptions in mostly conservative Middle East

Updates From The Conflict In North-East Syria Where Turkey Has Launched A Military Offensive The conflict in Syria enters the 'dangerous' territory. Turkish forces have struck several targets in North East Syria.

Gravitas: Turkey Invades Syria: The Story So Far

The United States is not aware of any "major" escape of Islamic State extremists since <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russian-forces-patrolling-between-syrian-turkish-forces-256159">Turkey launched its assault on Syrian Kurdish fighters</a> holding the prisoners, an official said Tuesday.

"We haven't seen any major successful breakout so far of the detainees," the senior administration official told reporters on condition of anonymity.

His remarks appeared at odds with US Defense Secretary Mark Esper who, criticising Turkey on Monday, said the incursion "resulted in the release of many dangerous ISIS detainees."

Vice President Mike Pence will leave within 24 hours to Ankara to press <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/united-nations-security-council-to-meet-on-turkish-syria-assault-256140">Turkey for a ceasefire in its offensive against Syrian Kurdish fighters</a>, a US official said Tuesday.

"We will launching off to Ankara in the next 24 hours," the official said, a day after Pence announced his trip to Turkey without specifying the timing.

Turkey on Tuesday vowed to pursue its Syria offensive and slammed a "dirty deal" between President Bashar al-Assad's regime and Kurdish forces after the withdrawal of US forces from northern Syria.&nbsp;

"We will continue to combat all terrorist groups, including Daesh, whether or not the world agrees to support our efforts," Fahrettin Altun, communications director at the Turkish presidency, told AFP, using an alternative acronym for the Islamic State group.

Turkish presidency slams 'dirty deal' between Syria's Assad and Kurdish forces.

&nbsp;

The United States is not aware of any "major" escape of Islamic State extremists since Turkey launched its assault on Syrian Kurdish fighters holding the prisoners, an official said Tuesday.

The United States is not aware of any "major" escape of Islamic State extremists since Turkey launched its assault on Syrian Kurdish fighters holding the prisoners, an official said Tuesday. "We haven't seen any major successful breakout so far of the detainees," the senior administration official told reporters on condition of anonymity. His remarks appeared at odds with US Defense Secretary Mark Esper who, criticising Turkey on Monday, said the incursion "resulted in the release of many dangerous ISIS detainees." Vice President Mike Pence will leave within 24 hours to Ankara to press Turkey for a ceasefire in its offensive against Syrian Kurdish fighters, a US official said Tuesday. "We will launching off to Ankara in the next 24 hours," the official said, a day after Pence announced his trip to Turkey without specifying the timing. Turkey on Tuesday vowed to pursue its Syria offensive and slammed a "dirty deal" between President Bashar al-Assad's regime and Kurdish forces after the withdrawal of US forces from northern Syria. "We will continue to combat all terrorist groups, including Daesh, whether or not the world agrees to support our efforts," Fahrettin Altun, communications director at the Turkish presidency, told AFP, using an alternative acronym for the Islamic State group. Turkish presidency slams 'dirty deal' between Syria's Assad and Kurdish forces.

United States officials not aware of escape of Islamic State extremists, Mike Pence leaving for Turkey in 24 hours

Russia said Thursday it was patrolling in areas along the "line of contact" between <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/united-nations-security-council-to-meet-on-turkish-syria-assault-256140">Syrian and Turkish forces</a>, as the United States-led coalition in Syria confirmed it had pulled its troops from the area.

Russia's defence ministry said the patrols were taking place after Syrian government troops took control of the city of Manbij.

"The Syrian government army has full control over the city of Manbij and nearby settlements," the ministry said in a statement.

"Russian military police continue to patrol the northwestern border area of Manbij district along the line of contact between the Syrian Arab Republic and Turkish armed forces," it said.

"Cooperation is organised with the Turkish side."

A spokesman for the US-led coalition confirmed its forces had pulled out of the area.

"Coalition forces are executing a deliberate withdrawal from northeast Syria. We are out of Manbij," the spokesman said.

Syrian forces moved into the area as part of a deal that has seen regime troops deploy in several Kurdish-controlled areas in Syria's north to protect the region from an assault by Turkish forces.

Russia is a key ally of President Bashar al-Assad and launched a military intervention in 2015 in support of his forces.

Moscow's special envoy on Syria, Alexander Lavrentyev, said Tuesday that it would not allow clashes between Turkish and Syrian forces.

"This would simply be unacceptable...&nbsp;And therefore we will not allow it, of course," Lavrentyev, who was on a visit to the United Arab Emirates, was quoted as saying by Russian news agencies.&nbsp;

He said <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/while-burying-their-dead-syrias-kurds-blast-united-states-for-betrayal-256124">Turkish and Syrian officials</a> were in contact to avoid any conflict.&nbsp;

"Negotiations are taking place in real-time," he said.

Russia said Thursday it was patrolling in areas along the "line of contact" between Syrian and Turkish forces, as the United States-led coalition in Syria confirmed it had pulled its troops from the area.

Russia said Thursday it was patrolling in areas along the "line of contact" between Syrian and Turkish forces, as the United States-led coalition in Syria confirmed it had pulled its troops from the area. Russia's defence ministry said the patrols were taking place after Syrian government troops took control of the city of Manbij. "The Syrian government army has full control over the city of Manbij and nearby settlements," the ministry said in a statement. "Russian military police continue to patrol the northwestern border area of Manbij district along the line of contact between the Syrian Arab Republic and Turkish armed forces," it said. "Cooperation is organised with the Turkish side." A spokesman for the US-led coalition confirmed its forces had pulled out of the area. "Coalition forces are executing a deliberate withdrawal from northeast Syria. We are out of Manbij," the spokesman said. Syrian forces moved into the area as part of a deal that has seen regime troops deploy in several Kurdish-controlled areas in Syria's north to protect the region from an assault by Turkish forces. Russia is a key ally of President Bashar al-Assad and launched a military intervention in 2015 in support of his forces. Moscow's special envoy on Syria, Alexander Lavrentyev, said Tuesday that it would not allow clashes between Turkish and Syrian forces. "This would simply be unacceptable... And therefore we will not allow it, of course," Lavrentyev, who was on a visit to the United Arab Emirates, was quoted as saying by Russian news agencies. He said Turkish and Syrian officials were in contact to avoid any conflict. "Negotiations are taking place in real-time," he said.

Russian forces patrolling between Syrian, Turkish groups

The United Nations Security Council will convene on Wednesday to discuss <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/britain-halts-weapon-exports-to-turkey-over-syria-offensive-foreign-secretary-dominic-raab-256092">Turkey's military incursion in northeast Syria</a>, diplomats said, with Ankara showing no sign of relenting in its assault on the Kurds.

This session was requested by European countries with seats on the 15-member council, the diplomats said Tuesday.

At a first meeting last Thursday, the council was divided, and only the European members issued a statement calling for an end to the Turkish offensive.

On Friday, Russia and China blocked a United States-sponsored text that also called for an end to the assault.

A diplomat said there may not be consensus this time either as the council meets on the incursion, with Russia possibly preventing members from showing a unified front.

There will likely be another statement issued by the European countries on the council, the diplomat said.

Russia risks becoming increasingly isolated on the council. It has already used its veto power as a permanent member 13 times since the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-treasury-slaps-punitive-sanctions-on-turkeys-defence-minister-255960">war in Syria broke out</a> in 2011.

The United States is calling in increasingly firm language for an end to the incursion and announced sanctions against Turkey on Monday.

China on Tuesday also called on Turkey to halt its military operation and "return to the correct way of political resolution."

The United Nations Security Council will convene on Wednesday to discuss Turkey's military incursion in northeast Syria, diplomats said, with Ankara showing no sign of relenting in its assault on the Kurds.

The United Nations Security Council will convene on Wednesday to discuss Turkey's military incursion in northeast Syria, diplomats said, with Ankara showing no sign of relenting in its assault on the Kurds. This session was requested by European countries with seats on the 15-member council, the diplomats said Tuesday. At a first meeting last Thursday, the council was divided, and only the European members issued a statement calling for an end to the Turkish offensive. On Friday, Russia and China blocked a United States-sponsored text that also called for an end to the assault. A diplomat said there may not be consensus this time either as the council meets on the incursion, with Russia possibly preventing members from showing a unified front. There will likely be another statement issued by the European countries on the council, the diplomat said. Russia risks becoming increasingly isolated on the council. It has already used its veto power as a permanent member 13 times since the war in Syria broke out in 2011. The United States is calling in increasingly firm language for an end to the incursion and announced sanctions against Turkey on Monday. China on Tuesday also called on Turkey to halt its military operation and "return to the correct way of political resolution."

United Nations Security Council to meet on Turkish Syria assault

US President Donald Trump on Monday authorized <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-imposes-sanctions-on-turkey-amid-conflict-in-northern-syria-255959">sanctions on Turkey's leaders</a>, reimposed steel tariffs and ended talks on a trade deal, seeking to punish the historic ally for its <a href="wionews.com/world/turkey-says-eu-shielding-terror-elements-by-criticising-syria-offensive-255938">deadly offensive into Syria</a>.

Trump also said he was reimposing tariffs of 50 per cent on Turkish steel -- one of a series of measures taken last year to win the release of a detained US pastor, and which contributed to a plunge in the value of the country's lira currency.

In May, Trump reduced tariffs back to 25 per cent, in line with levels the protectionist-minded president has imposed on other trading partners including the European Union.

The US Treasury also slapped punitive sanctions on Turkey's defence minister and two other ministers.

Minister of Defense Hulusi Akar, Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu, and Energy Minister Fatih Donmez were placed on the Treasury's sanctions blacklist, freezing their US assets and banning US or US-related transactions with them.

Watch video:

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-turkeys-offensive-in-syria-gives-new-lease-of-life-to-isis-255943/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The defence and energy ministries were also hit with sanctions, the Treasury said.

"The United States is holding the Turkish government accountable for escalating violence by Turkish forces, endangering innocent civilians and destabilizing the region," said Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin.

The sanctions seek mainly to lock the designated individuals and organizations out of the global financial system, by threatening to penalize any international banks with a US presence involved in transactions with those on the blacklist.

US President Donald Trump on Monday authorized sanctions on Turkey's leaders, reimposed steel tariffs and ended talks on a trade deal, seeking to punish the historic ally for its deadly offensive into Syria.

US President Donald Trump on Monday authorized sanctions on Turkey's leaders, reimposed steel tariffs and ended talks on a trade deal, seeking to punish the historic ally for its deadly offensive into Syria. Trump also said he was reimposing tariffs of 50 per cent on Turkish steel -- one of a series of measures taken last year to win the release of a detained US pastor, and which contributed to a plunge in the value of the country's lira currency. In May, Trump reduced tariffs back to 25 per cent, in line with levels the protectionist-minded president has imposed on other trading partners including the European Union. The US Treasury also slapped punitive sanctions on Turkey's defence minister and two other ministers. Minister of Defense Hulusi Akar, Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu, and Energy Minister Fatih Donmez were placed on the Treasury's sanctions blacklist, freezing their US assets and banning US or US-related transactions with them. Watch video: The defence and energy ministries were also hit with sanctions, the Treasury said. "The United States is holding the Turkish government accountable for escalating violence by Turkish forces, endangering innocent civilians and destabilizing the region," said Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. The sanctions seek mainly to lock the designated individuals and organizations out of the global financial system, by threatening to penalize any international banks with a US presence involved in transactions with those on the blacklist.

US Treasury slaps punitive sanctions on Turkey's defence minister

The Trump administration on Monday <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/syria-regime-steps-in-to-halt-turkish-assault-on-kurds-255907">imposed sanctions on Turkey</a> even as its military forces continued their push into northern Syria.

"I will soon be issuing executive order authorizing the imposition of sanctions against current and former officials of the Government of Turkey," President Trump said, adding,"the steel tariffs will be increased back to 50 per cent, the level prior to the reduction in May."

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Statement from President Donald J. Trump Regarding Turkey’s Actions in Northeast Syria <a href="https://t.co/ZCQC7nzmME">pic.twitter.com/ZCQC7nzmME</a>
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1183833640507269120?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 14, 2019</a></blockquote>
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"The US will also immediately stop negotiations being led by the Department of Commerce with respect to<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/big-sanctions-coming-on-turkey-declares-us-president-trump-255891"> $100 billion in trade</a> deal with Turkey," the US president declared.

Turkey, a NATO ally began its military campaign in northern Syria last week after President Trump announced he would be pulling US troops out of the area. The resulting military offensive took several nations by surprise with France, Germany and other NATO nations calling for restraint.

Watch Video:

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-turkeys-offensive-in-syria-gives-new-lease-of-life-to-isis-255943/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The US Treasury Department said it was imposing sanctions on Turkey's defence, interior and energy ministers, freezing their US assets and making US transactions with them a crime.

"Turkey's military offensive is endangering civilians and threatening peace and security and stability in the region," Trump said in a statement. "Turkey must ensure the safety of civilians, including religious and ethnic minorities, he added.

"Unfortunately, Turkey does not appear to be mitigating the humanitarian effects of the invasion," Trump said.

"US troops coming out of Syria will now redeploy and remain in the region to monitor the situation and prevent a repeat of 2014, when the neglected threat of ISIS raged across Syria and Irag."

"A small footprint of US troops will remain at Tanf Garrison in southern Syria to continue to disrupt remnants of ISIS," the US president asserted.

Meanwhile, Vice President Mike Pence said he would travel shortly to Turkey and that Trump had telephoned Erdogan on Tuesday to insist that Turkey end the operation.

"I am fully prepared to swiftly destroy Turkey's economy if Turkish leaders continue down this dangerous and destructive path," Trump said.

As Turkey continued its push into Syria, Defense Secretary Mark Esper said he would head next week to Brussels to ask NATO allies to punish Turkey over the incursion.

The Trump administration on Monday imposed sanctions on Turkey even as its military forces continued their push into northern Syria. "I will soon be issuing executive order authorizing the imposition of sanctions against current and former officials of the Government of Turkey," President Trump said, adding,"the steel tariffs will be increased back to 50 per cent, the level prior to the reduction in May.

The Trump administration on Monday imposed sanctions on Turkey even as its military forces continued their push into northern Syria. "I will soon be issuing executive order authorizing the imposition of sanctions against current and former officials of the Government of Turkey," President Trump said, adding,"the steel tariffs will be increased back to 50 per cent, the level prior to the reduction in May." Statement from President Donald J. Trump Regarding Turkey’s Actions in Northeast Syria pic.twitter.com/ZCQC7nzmME — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 14, 2019 × "The US will also immediately stop negotiations being led by the Department of Commerce with respect to $100 billion in trade deal with Turkey," the US president declared. Turkey, a NATO ally began its military campaign in northern Syria last week after President Trump announced he would be pulling US troops out of the area. The resulting military offensive took several nations by surprise with France, Germany and other NATO nations calling for restraint. Watch Video: The US Treasury Department said it was imposing sanctions on Turkey's defence, interior and energy ministers, freezing their US assets and making US transactions with them a crime. "Turkey's military offensive is endangering civilians and threatening peace and security and stability in the region," Trump said in a statement. "Turkey must ensure the safety of civilians, including religious and ethnic minorities, he added. "Unfortunately, Turkey does not appear to be mitigating the humanitarian effects of the invasion," Trump said. "US troops coming out of Syria will now redeploy and remain in the region to monitor the situation and prevent a repeat of 2014, when the neglected threat of ISIS raged across Syria and Irag." "A small footprint of US troops will remain at Tanf Garrison in southern Syria to continue to disrupt remnants of ISIS," the US president asserted. Meanwhile, Vice President Mike Pence said he would travel shortly to Turkey and that Trump had telephoned Erdogan on Tuesday to insist that Turkey end the operation. "I am fully prepared to swiftly destroy Turkey's economy if Turkish leaders continue down this dangerous and destructive path," Trump said. As Turkey continued its push into Syria, Defense Secretary Mark Esper said he would head next week to Brussels to ask NATO allies to punish Turkey over the incursion.

Trump imposes sanctions on Turkey amid conflict in northern Syria

German authorities on Tuesday appealed to its <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/syrian-forces-in-full-control-of-manbij-russia-256109">Turkish and Kurdish communities</a> to avoid echoing the Middle Eastern conflict, after clashes between the two groups over Ankara's offensive in northeastern Syria.

Police said at least five people had been injured in fights between the two communities late on Monday.

"We have a responsibility to prevent the conflict in the region becoming a conflict in our society... in Germany," integration commissioner Annette Widmann-Mauz told the Funke newspaper group.

"I expect all sides, especially migrant organisations and religious communities, to take responsibility and contribute to restraint", Annette added.

The commissioner advises the government on integration and serves as a point of contact for migrants and community organisations.

The clashes happened as around 350 people were marching through the western city of Herne Monday against <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/britain-halts-weapon-exports-to-turkey-over-syria-offensive-foreign-secretary-dominic-raab-256092">Turkey's offensive in Kurdish-controlled areas of Syria</a>, police said in a statement.

They were "provoked with hand signals" by people drinking at a nearby kiosk, the statement added.

"Some of them stormed into the kiosk, attacked two people inside and injured them" as well as breaking a window.

The demonstration continued and someone threw a bottle at the marchers from a Turkish-owned cafe as they passed.

"The reaction was very emotional and angry" as several participants again rushed into the cafe, breaking windows and furniture and injuring at least one person inside, as well as one of the police officers who intervened to stop the fighting.

Nevertheless, "the police were able to calm the situation" and the demonstration ended as planned when the marchers reached their destination in the centre.

Among the five people hurt was the organiser of the march. He too was attacked when he tried to stop the violence.

Of the roughly three million people with Turkish nationality or roots living in Germany, around one million are Kurds.

Politicians regularly warn of tensions between the two communities, which have been stoked by Turkey's offensive against Kurdish fighters inside Syria.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/turkey-says-eu-shielding-terror-elements-by-criticising-syria-offensive-255938">Separately in Berlin</a>, local police said a man wearing a jacket with a Turkish flag was beaten by around 15 people, leaving him with a facial injury.

"According to the 30-year-old Turkish citizen, the men had assaulted him because of the jacket he was wearing, which had a Turkish national flag on it," Berlin police said in a statement.

The assailants spoke Arabic and German, police said.

From last Wednesday, Turkish troops moved into the zone controlled by Kurdish militias, which had helped a Western-led coalition fight jihadists of the Islamic State (IS) group but whom Ankara accuses of terrorism.

Germany, along with European allies such as France, has condemned the offensive and halted arms exports to Turkey.

German authorities on Tuesday appealed to its Turkish and Kurdish communities to avoid echoing the Middle Eastern conflict, after clashes between the two groups over Ankara's offensive in northeastern Syria.

German authorities on Tuesday appealed to its Turkish and Kurdish communities to avoid echoing the Middle Eastern conflict, after clashes between the two groups over Ankara's offensive in northeastern Syria. Police said at least five people had been injured in fights between the two communities late on Monday. "We have a responsibility to prevent the conflict in the region becoming a conflict in our society... in Germany," integration commissioner Annette Widmann-Mauz told the Funke newspaper group. "I expect all sides, especially migrant organisations and religious communities, to take responsibility and contribute to restraint", Annette added. The commissioner advises the government on integration and serves as a point of contact for migrants and community organisations. The clashes happened as around 350 people were marching through the western city of Herne Monday against Turkey's offensive in Kurdish-controlled areas of Syria, police said in a statement. They were "provoked with hand signals" by people drinking at a nearby kiosk, the statement added. "Some of them stormed into the kiosk, attacked two people inside and injured them" as well as breaking a window. The demonstration continued and someone threw a bottle at the marchers from a Turkish-owned cafe as they passed. "The reaction was very emotional and angry" as several participants again rushed into the cafe, breaking windows and furniture and injuring at least one person inside, as well as one of the police officers who intervened to stop the fighting. Nevertheless, "the police were able to calm the situation" and the demonstration ended as planned when the marchers reached their destination in the centre. Among the five people hurt was the organiser of the march. He too was attacked when he tried to stop the violence. Of the roughly three million people with Turkish nationality or roots living in Germany, around one million are Kurds. Politicians regularly warn of tensions between the two communities, which have been stoked by Turkey's offensive against Kurdish fighters inside Syria. Separately in Berlin, local police said a man wearing a jacket with a Turkish flag was beaten by around 15 people, leaving him with a facial injury. "According to the 30-year-old Turkish citizen, the men had assaulted him because of the jacket he was wearing, which had a Turkish national flag on it," Berlin police said in a statement. The assailants spoke Arabic and German, police said. From last Wednesday, Turkish troops moved into the zone controlled by Kurdish militias, which had helped a Western-led coalition fight jihadists of the Islamic State (IS) group but whom Ankara accuses of terrorism. Germany, along with European allies such as France, has condemned the offensive and halted arms exports to Turkey.

Berlin urges 'restraint' after Turkish-Kurdish clashes in Germany

Burying fighters killed in a nearly week-long battle against Turkish forces in northern Syria, the country's Kurdish minority denounced a "betrayal" by United States&nbsp;allies that paved the way for Ankara's offensive.

In a graveyard in the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/syrian-forces-in-full-control-of-manbij-russia-256109">Kurdish-majority</a> city of Qamishli, 57-year-old Basna Amin watched as the newly fallen were laid to rest near comrades who died in the US-backed fight against the Islamic State group.

"We are disappointed because (the Americans) betrayed us," she said, a black and white headscarf covering her hair.

"The world wants the Kurds to always be broken," she told AFP.

At least 135 Kurdish fighters have been killed in Ankara's assault triggered by last week's US pullout from border areas in Syria's north, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

Washington's move, widely interpreted as green-lighting the long-planned Turkish invasion, has sparked resentment among the Kurds who have already lost 11,000 of their fighters in anti-IS battles.&nbsp;

Sitting near the grave of her son who died battling jihadists in 2014, Jawahir said that sacrifices by Syria's Kurds will compensate for the blow dealt by Washington.

"We have been betrayed before," she said.

"All the gains we have scored are thanks to the blood of these martyrs," she added.

"Their blood will not go to waste."&nbsp;

Around her, women hunkered beside graves, their eyes red with tears.

Hundreds had streamed into the graveyard to bury fighters killed in recent border battles, the portraits of 'martyrs' plastered on coffins and pinned to clothes.

'Pay with our children'

Dressed in military fatigues, a female Kurdish fighter pressed her body against a colourful casket, held up by a sea of mourners.&nbsp;

She stroked the coffin's lid, its floral arrangement matching the pattern on her black headscarf.&nbsp;

In the crowd below, another woman whispered inaudible words as she caressed a similar coffin, decorated with ribbons, flowers and a red sheet.&nbsp;

Trump, who is campaigning for re-election but faces impeachment, is keen to deliver on a promise of pulling US troops out of the Syria quagmire.

More than <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/britain-halts-weapon-exports-to-turkey-over-syria-offensive-foreign-secretary-dominic-raab-256092">1,000 troops are now being withdrawn from northern Syria</a> and the United States will keep only a residual contingent of some 150 troops in the south at the Al-Tanf base near the borders with Jordan and Iraq.

"They used to break bread together, and fight terrorism together, it is a big disappointment," said Farida Bakr, speaking on Washington's decision to withdraw troops.&nbsp;

But "we will stay on our land, and we will fight until we are victorious, even if we have to pay with our children," said the 50-year-old.

Around her, women ululated in grief.

Others in headscarves stood silently, raising two fingers in a victory gesture, their solemn gaze directed to the floor.

They waved baskets carrying candles and henna dye, a custom during funerals for the young.

For Souad Hussein, whose children are among those fighting Ankara's forces, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/foreign-aid-in-northeast-syria-fully-halted-kurds-256084">the Kurds can rely only on themselves</a>.

"We have hope only in our forces because the Kurds have no friends," she told AFP.

"We will be friends to ourselves and we will confront our enemies."

Burying fighters killed in a nearly week-long battle against Turkish forces in northern Syria, the country's Kurdish minority denounced a "betrayal" by United States allies that paved the way for Ankara's offensive.

Burying fighters killed in a nearly week-long battle against Turkish forces in northern Syria, the country's Kurdish minority denounced a "betrayal" by United States allies that paved the way for Ankara's offensive. In a graveyard in the Kurdish-majority city of Qamishli, 57-year-old Basna Amin watched as the newly fallen were laid to rest near comrades who died in the US-backed fight against the Islamic State group. "We are disappointed because (the Americans) betrayed us," she said, a black and white headscarf covering her hair. "The world wants the Kurds to always be broken," she told AFP. At least 135 Kurdish fighters have been killed in Ankara's assault triggered by last week's US pullout from border areas in Syria's north, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Washington's move, widely interpreted as green-lighting the long-planned Turkish invasion, has sparked resentment among the Kurds who have already lost 11,000 of their fighters in anti-IS battles. Sitting near the grave of her son who died battling jihadists in 2014, Jawahir said that sacrifices by Syria's Kurds will compensate for the blow dealt by Washington. "We have been betrayed before," she said. "All the gains we have scored are thanks to the blood of these martyrs," she added. "Their blood will not go to waste." Around her, women hunkered beside graves, their eyes red with tears. Hundreds had streamed into the graveyard to bury fighters killed in recent border battles, the portraits of 'martyrs' plastered on coffins and pinned to clothes. 'Pay with our children' Dressed in military fatigues, a female Kurdish fighter pressed her body against a colourful casket, held up by a sea of mourners. She stroked the coffin's lid, its floral arrangement matching the pattern on her black headscarf. In the crowd below, another woman whispered inaudible words as she caressed a similar coffin, decorated with ribbons, flowers and a red sheet. Trump, who is campaigning for re-election but faces impeachment, is keen to deliver on a promise of pulling US troops out of the Syria quagmire. More than 1,000 troops are now being withdrawn from northern Syria and the United States will keep only a residual contingent of some 150 troops in the south at the Al-Tanf base near the borders with Jordan and Iraq. "They used to break bread together, and fight terrorism together, it is a big disappointment," said Farida Bakr, speaking on Washington's decision to withdraw troops. But "we will stay on our land, and we will fight until we are victorious, even if we have to pay with our children," said the 50-year-old. Around her, women ululated in grief. Others in headscarves stood silently, raising two fingers in a victory gesture, their solemn gaze directed to the floor. They waved baskets carrying candles and henna dye, a custom during funerals for the young. For Souad Hussein, whose children are among those fighting Ankara's forces, the Kurds can rely only on themselves. "We have hope only in our forces because the Kurds have no friends," she told AFP. "We will be friends to ourselves and we will confront our enemies."

While burying their dead, Syria's Kurds blast United States for 'betrayal'

Russia said on Tuesday that <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/britain-halts-weapon-exports-to-turkey-over-syria-offensive-foreign-secretary-dominic-raab-256092">Syrian government forces</a> had taken control of the city of Manbij, after Damascus deployed troops to the country's north to contain a Turkish offensive.

"The Syrian government army has full control over the city of Manbij and nearby settlements," the Russian defence ministry said in a statement.

Syrian state news agency SANA reported on Monday that government troops had entered Manbij, which is controlled by a military council linked to Syria's Kurds.

Syrian forces moved into the area as part of a deal that has seen regime troops deploy in several Kurdish-controlled areas in Syria's north to protect the region from Ankara's assault.

Russia is a key ally of President Bashar al-Assad and launched a military intervention in 2015 in support of his forces.

The defence ministry said Russian forces were continuing to patrol border areas along the "line of contact" between <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/foreign-aid-in-northeast-syria-fully-halted-kurds-256084">Syrian and Turkish forces</a>.

"Cooperation has been organised with the Turkish side," it said.

Moscow's special envoy on Syria, Alexander Lavrentyev, said Tuesday that it would not allow clashes between Turkish and Syrian forces.

"This would simply be unacceptable...&nbsp;And therefore we will not allow it, of course," Lavrentyev, who was on a visit to the United Arab Emirates, was quoted as saying by Russian news agencies.&nbsp;

He said <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/turkish-soldier-killed-in-shelling-from-syrias-manbij-ministry-256080">Turkish and Syrian officials</a> were in contact to avoid any conflict.&nbsp;

"Negotiations are taking place in real-time," he said.

Russia said on Tuesday that Syrian government forces had taken control of the city of Manbij, after Damascus deployed troops to the country's north to contain a Turkish offensive.

Russia said on Tuesday that Syrian government forces had taken control of the city of Manbij, after Damascus deployed troops to the country's north to contain a Turkish offensive. "The Syrian government army has full control over the city of Manbij and nearby settlements," the Russian defence ministry said in a statement. Syrian state news agency SANA reported on Monday that government troops had entered Manbij, which is controlled by a military council linked to Syria's Kurds. Syrian forces moved into the area as part of a deal that has seen regime troops deploy in several Kurdish-controlled areas in Syria's north to protect the region from Ankara's assault. Russia is a key ally of President Bashar al-Assad and launched a military intervention in 2015 in support of his forces. The defence ministry said Russian forces were continuing to patrol border areas along the "line of contact" between Syrian and Turkish forces. "Cooperation has been organised with the Turkish side," it said. Moscow's special envoy on Syria, Alexander Lavrentyev, said Tuesday that it would not allow clashes between Turkish and Syrian forces. "This would simply be unacceptable... And therefore we will not allow it, of course," Lavrentyev, who was on a visit to the United Arab Emirates, was quoted as saying by Russian news agencies. He said Turkish and Syrian officials were in contact to avoid any conflict. "Negotiations are taking place in real-time," he said.

Syrian forces in 'full control' of Manbij: Russia

The United Kingdom on Tuesday said it was suspending all weapons exports to Turkey following its attack of northern Syria as it does a survey of arms deals to its NATO partner.

"<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/turkey-says-eu-shielding-terror-elements-by-criticising-syria-offensive-255938">Military arms to Turkey</a> that might be used in this operation have been suspended subject to the review that will take place," Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said in British Parliament.

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab told British MPs: "The UK government takes its arms export control responsibilities very seriously and in this case, of course, we will keep our defence exports to Turkey under very careful and continual review.

Watch: Turkey's offensive in Syria gives new lease of life to IS

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-turkeys-offensive-in-syria-gives-new-lease-of-life-to-isis-255943/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Earlier, Italy also&nbsp;banned&nbsp;selling weapons and ammunition to Ankara after a weekend decision by France and Germany to suspend sales, and Spain signalled it was ready to do so. Italy was the top arms exporter to Turkey last year.

Meanwhile, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-treasury-slaps-punitive-sanctions-on-turkeys-defence-minister-255960">US President on Monday imposed sanctions</a> on Turkey even as its military forces continued their push into northern Syria.

"I will soon be issuing an executive order authorising&nbsp;the imposition of sanctions against current and former officials of the Government of Turkey," President Trump said, adding, "the steel tariffs will be increased back to 50 per cent, the level prior to the reduction in May."

(With inputs from agencies)

The United Kingdom on Tuesday said it was suspending all weapons exports to Turkey following its attack of northern Syria as it does a survey of arms deals to its NATO partner.

The United Kingdom on Tuesday said it was suspending all weapons exports to Turkey following its attack of northern Syria as it does a survey of arms deals to its NATO partner. "Military arms to Turkey that might be used in this operation have been suspended subject to the review that will take place," Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said in British Parliament. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab told British MPs: "The UK government takes its arms export control responsibilities very seriously and in this case, of course, we will keep our defence exports to Turkey under very careful and continual review. Watch: Turkey's offensive in Syria gives new lease of life to IS Earlier, Italy also banned selling weapons and ammunition to Ankara after a weekend decision by France and Germany to suspend sales, and Spain signalled it was ready to do so. Italy was the top arms exporter to Turkey last year. Meanwhile, US President on Monday imposed sanctions on Turkey even as its military forces continued their push into northern Syria. "I will soon be issuing an executive order authorising the imposition of sanctions against current and former officials of the Government of Turkey," President Trump said, adding, "the steel tariffs will be increased back to 50 per cent, the level prior to the reduction in May." (With inputs from agencies)

Britain halts weapon exports to Turkey over Syria offensive: Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab

The week-old Turkish invasion of northeastern Syria has forced all international non-governmental organisations to leave the area, a statement from the Kurdish authorities said Tuesday.

"The humanitarian plight of the displaced in areas targeted by the aggression has worsened with all humanitarian aid being cut and all international organisations ceasing their activities," the statement said.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/turkish-soldier-killed-in-shelling-from-syrias-manbij-ministry-256080">Turkey and its Syrian rebel proxies</a> launched a cross-border operation&nbsp;on Wednesday against Syrian Kurdish fighters on the other side of the frontier.

Almost a week of deadly bombardment and fighting has killed dozens of civilians, mostly on the Kurdish side, and prompted at least 160,000 to flee their homes.

On Monday, international non-governmental organisation Mercy Corps said it was suspending its operations in the area and evacuating international staff.

"We just cannot effectively operate with the heavy shelling, roads closing, and the various and constantly changing armed actors in the areas where we are working," said Made Ferguson, Mercy Corps' deputy country director for Syria.

"This is our nightmare scenario. There are tens of thousands of people on the run and we have no way of getting to them," he said.

Mercy Corps says it has been operating in northeastern Syria since 2014 and helping with emergency relief efforts including providing freshwater since the start of the Turkish invasion.

The organisation would be exploring alternative options to deliver aid to those in need, Ferguson said.

On Monday, the U.N. humanitarian agency OCHA said: "more NGO staff had to withdraw and suspend operations".

"As of 14 October, international staff of cross-border NGOs are primarily relocating to Arbil and Dohuk in Iraq," it said.

"The United Nations and its partners remain extremely concerned about the safety and security of all of their&nbsp;hundreds of&nbsp;Syrian staff," OCHA said.

The World Food Programme said its operations were ongoing.

"We are continuing to send emergency food supplies as well as the food we usually send each food," the UN agency's spokesman Herve Verhoosel said, despite a few security concerns.

The U.N. children's fund UNICEF was also continuing to work in camps in Hassakeh province, a spokeswoman said.

The U.N. refugee agency UNHCR said it had assisted more than 30,000 people since the start of the escalation but had no access&nbsp;since Tuesday to a camp for the displaced in Ain Issa.

The Kurds said around 800 relatives of Islamic State group fighters have escaped the camp after Turkish bombardment nearby, but Ankara claims they were freed.

The Kurds have been a key <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-imposes-sanctions-on-turkey-amid-conflict-in-northern-syria-255959">US ally in fighting IS in Syria</a>, and run camps for the displaced in areas they control housing tens of thousands of people including alleged IS family members.

The week-old Turkish invasion of northeastern Syria has forced all international non-governmental organisations to leave the area, a statement from the Kurdish authorities said Tuesday.

The week-old Turkish invasion of northeastern Syria has forced all international non-governmental organisations to leave the area, a statement from the Kurdish authorities said Tuesday. "The humanitarian plight of the displaced in areas targeted by the aggression has worsened with all humanitarian aid being cut and all international organisations ceasing their activities," the statement said. Turkey and its Syrian rebel proxies launched a cross-border operation on Wednesday against Syrian Kurdish fighters on the other side of the frontier. Almost a week of deadly bombardment and fighting has killed dozens of civilians, mostly on the Kurdish side, and prompted at least 160,000 to flee their homes. On Monday, international non-governmental organisation Mercy Corps said it was suspending its operations in the area and evacuating international staff. "We just cannot effectively operate with the heavy shelling, roads closing, and the various and constantly changing armed actors in the areas where we are working," said Made Ferguson, Mercy Corps' deputy country director for Syria. "This is our nightmare scenario. There are tens of thousands of people on the run and we have no way of getting to them," he said. Mercy Corps says it has been operating in northeastern Syria since 2014 and helping with emergency relief efforts including providing freshwater since the start of the Turkish invasion. The organisation would be exploring alternative options to deliver aid to those in need, Ferguson said. On Monday, the U.N. humanitarian agency OCHA said: "more NGO staff had to withdraw and suspend operations". "As of 14 October, international staff of cross-border NGOs are primarily relocating to Arbil and Dohuk in Iraq," it said. "The United Nations and its partners remain extremely concerned about the safety and security of all of their hundreds of Syrian staff," OCHA said. The World Food Programme said its operations were ongoing. "We are continuing to send emergency food supplies as well as the food we usually send each food," the UN agency's spokesman Herve Verhoosel said, despite a few security concerns. The U.N. children's fund UNICEF was also continuing to work in camps in Hassakeh province, a spokeswoman said. The U.N. refugee agency UNHCR said it had assisted more than 30,000 people since the start of the escalation but had no access since Tuesday to a camp for the displaced in Ain Issa. The Kurds said around 800 relatives of Islamic State group fighters have escaped the camp after Turkish bombardment nearby, but Ankara claims they were freed. The Kurds have been a key US ally in fighting IS in Syria, and run camps for the displaced in areas they control housing tens of thousands of people including alleged IS family members.

Foreign aid in northeast Syria fully halted: Kurds

A Turkish soldier was killed on Tuesday after shelling by Kurdish militants in Syria's Manbij region, the defence ministry said in a statement.&nbsp;

"Following artillery fire by the terrorists from the Manbij region... one of our heroic comrades was killed and eight were injured," the ministry said.&nbsp;

The statement did not provide the precise location of the Turkish soldiers but said the army returned fire and killed at least 15 "terrorists."

Five Turkish soldiers have been killed since the operation was launched last Wednesday against Kurdish militants in Syria.&nbsp;

Turkish border towns have come under heavy artillery fire from Kurdish positions in Syria, killing 20 civilians.

A Turkish soldier was killed on Tuesday after shelling by Kurdish militants in Syria's Manbij region, the defence ministry said in a statement. "Following artillery fire by the terrorists from the Manbij region.

A Turkish soldier was killed on Tuesday after shelling by Kurdish militants in Syria's Manbij region, the defence ministry said in a statement. "Following artillery fire by the terrorists from the Manbij region... one of our heroic comrades was killed and eight were injured," the ministry said. The statement did not provide the precise location of the Turkish soldiers but said the army returned fire and killed at least 15 "terrorists." Five Turkish soldiers have been killed since the operation was launched last Wednesday against Kurdish militants in Syria. Turkish border towns have come under heavy artillery fire from Kurdish positions in Syria, killing 20 civilians.

Turkish soldier killed in shelling from Syria's Manbij: Ministry

Turkey's Military Offensive In North-East Syria Has Offered The Gift Of Rebirth To Terror Outfit ISIS

Gravitas: Turkey's offensive in Syria gives new lease of life to IS

Turkey accused the European Union on Monday of protecting "terror elements" by criticising its military offensive against Kurdish militants in Syria.&nbsp;

Turkey is in the sixth day of an assault against Kurdish militants -- key allies of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/big-sanctions-coming-on-turkey-declares-us-president-trump-255891">Western powers in the battle</a> to crush the Islamic State group in northeastern Syria -- an operation condemned by European leaders.&nbsp;

"It is unacceptable for the EU to display an approach that protects terror elements," the foreign ministry said in a statement, shortly after the EU condemned Turkey's operation.&nbsp;

"We totally reject and condemn the decisions and calls made to our country," it added.&nbsp;

The EU had earlier stated that it "condemns Turkey's military action, which seriously undermines the stability and the security of the whole region".

The EU also opened the way to sanctions over Turkey's controversial drilling for hydrocarbons off Cyprus.

"We find it unacceptable," the Turkish foreign ministry said in response.&nbsp;

"Because of its unlawful and biased approach, we will seriously review our cooperation with the EU on some areas," it warned.

The discovery of significant gas reserves around Cyprus has aggravated the political dispute around the island, which has been politically divided since a Turkish invasion in 1974.

Turkey does not recognise maritime agreements signed by Cyprus with other countries in the region, and says it has a right to explore for gas in the area.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Turkey accused the European Union on Monday of protecting "terror elements" by criticising its military offensive against Kurdish militants in Syria. Turkey is in the sixth day of an assault against Kurdish militants -- key allies of Western powers in the battle to crush the Islamic State group in northeastern Syria -- an operation condemned by European leaders.

Turkey accused the European Union on Monday of protecting "terror elements" by criticising its military offensive against Kurdish militants in Syria. Turkey is in the sixth day of an assault against Kurdish militants -- key allies of Western powers in the battle to crush the Islamic State group in northeastern Syria -- an operation condemned by European leaders. "It is unacceptable for the EU to display an approach that protects terror elements," the foreign ministry said in a statement, shortly after the EU condemned Turkey's operation. "We totally reject and condemn the decisions and calls made to our country," it added. The EU had earlier stated that it "condemns Turkey's military action, which seriously undermines the stability and the security of the whole region". The EU also opened the way to sanctions over Turkey's controversial drilling for hydrocarbons off Cyprus. "We find it unacceptable," the Turkish foreign ministry said in response. "Because of its unlawful and biased approach, we will seriously review our cooperation with the EU on some areas," it warned. The discovery of significant gas reserves around Cyprus has aggravated the political dispute around the island, which has been politically divided since a Turkish invasion in 1974. Turkey does not recognise maritime agreements signed by Cyprus with other countries in the region, and says it has a right to explore for gas in the area.

Turkey says EU shielding 'terror elements' by criticising Syria offensive

The Pentagon has begun removing all its troops in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/syria-regime-steps-in-to-halt-turkish-assault-on-kurds-255907">northern Syria</a>, a US official said Monday, after President Donald Trump ordered them to leave in the face of Turkey's attacks on Kurds in the area.

Nearly 1,000 troops will vacate the country, leaving behind only a small contingent of 150 in the southern Syria base at Al Tanf, the official said.

"We are executing the order," the official told AFP.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/big-sanctions-coming-on-turkey-declares-us-president-trump-255891">Big sanctions coming on Turkey, declares US President Trump</a>

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been pressing a deadly assault against Kurdish forces -- a key US ally in the five-year battle to crush the Islamic State group -- in northeastern Syria since Wednesday last week.

Trump, whose order to pull back US special forces from the border effectively triggered the incursion, has faced a firestorm of criticism for appearing to give NATO member Turkey the green light for the push.

On Sunday Defense Secretary Mark Esper said Trump had ordered the withdrawal of the remaining troops deployed in northern Syria, with the US seeking to avoid getting caught between two allies.

But Esper did not make clear whether the troops would simply pull back to a position further south or quit the country completely.

Trump's critics accuse him of abandoning the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, who Ankara says support Kurdish rebels inside Turkey.

Earlier Monday Trump said he planned "big sanctions" against Turkey for the attacks into Syria, but also criticized the Kurds for allegedly trying to suck US forces into the conflict.

He suggested the Kurds were releasing Islamic State prisoners in their custody "to get us involved" in the conflict.

"Do people really think we should go to war with NATO Member Turkey?" Trump said, ruing "never ending wars."

"The same people who got us into the Middle East mess are the people who most want to stay there!" 
&nbsp;

The Pentagon has begun removing all its troops in northern Syria, a US official said Monday, after President Donald Trump ordered them to leave in the face of Turkey's attacks on Kurds in the area.

The Pentagon has begun removing all its troops in northern Syria, a US official said Monday, after President Donald Trump ordered them to leave in the face of Turkey's attacks on Kurds in the area. Nearly 1,000 troops will vacate the country, leaving behind only a small contingent of 150 in the southern Syria base at Al Tanf, the official said. "We are executing the order," the official told AFP. Also read: Big sanctions coming on Turkey, declares US President Trump Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been pressing a deadly assault against Kurdish forces -- a key US ally in the five-year battle to crush the Islamic State group -- in northeastern Syria since Wednesday last week. Trump, whose order to pull back US special forces from the border effectively triggered the incursion, has faced a firestorm of criticism for appearing to give NATO member Turkey the green light for the push. On Sunday Defense Secretary Mark Esper said Trump had ordered the withdrawal of the remaining troops deployed in northern Syria, with the US seeking to avoid getting caught between two allies. But Esper did not make clear whether the troops would simply pull back to a position further south or quit the country completely. Trump's critics accuse him of abandoning the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, who Ankara says support Kurdish rebels inside Turkey. Earlier Monday Trump said he planned "big sanctions" against Turkey for the attacks into Syria, but also criticized the Kurds for allegedly trying to suck US forces into the conflict. He suggested the Kurds were releasing Islamic State prisoners in their custody "to get us involved" in the conflict. "Do people really think we should go to war with NATO Member Turkey?" Trump said, ruing "never ending wars." "The same people who got us into the Middle East mess are the people who most want to stay there!"

US troops in northern Syria ordered to leave country: US official

Nearly 800 Islamic State supporters escaped from a camp in northeastern Syria as the Turkish forces are advancing in the region.

Nearly 800 ISIS supporters escape from Syrian camp

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