The Syrian regime sent troops towards the Turkish border on Monday to contain Ankara's deadly offensive against the Kurds, stepping in for US forces due to begin a controversial withdrawal.

Outgunned and without US protection, the autonomous Kurds in northeastern Syria had few other options to stop the rapid advance of Turkish troops and their Syrian proxies.

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>

Turkey wants to create a roughly 30-kilometre (20-mile) buffer zone along its border to keep Kurdish forces at bay and also to send back some of the 3.6 million Syrian refugees it hosts.

The United States and its partners, who spent years fighting alongside the Kurds against the Islamic State group in Syria before deserting them, have condemned the Turkish invasion, but their threats of sanctions have failed to stop it.

Washington says that it is planning to pull out 1,000 troops &nbsp;-- almost the entire ground force -- from Syria's north, in a move welcomed Monday by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as "a positive approach."

The chaos in the areas targeted in the six-day-old Turkish assault has already led to the escape of around 800 foreign women and children linked to IS from a Kurdish-run camp, Kurdish authorities said.

The Kurds had repeatedly warned of that scenario when Western countries refused to repatriate their IS-linked nationals and when US President Donald Trump made it clear he wanted to end the US military presence.

But Trump on Monday said the Kurds "may be releasing" IS prisoners to keep the US involved in Syria.

Wasting no time to fill the void, Moscow -- already the top broker in Syria -- clinched a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/celebrations-erupt-as-kurds-and-syrian-government-reach-a-deal-255737">deal between the Kurds and Damascus</a>, whose ties had been icy since the minority threw its lot with Washington and unilaterally declared self-rule.

"In order to prevent and confront this aggression, an agreement has been reached with the Syrian government," the Kurdish administration said in a statement late Sunday.

Averting 'genocide'

In an editorial published in Foreign Policy magazine, the head of the main Kurdish force wrote: "If we have to choose between compromises and the genocide of our people, we will surely choose life for our people."

By Monday morning, Syrian government forces were already moving to within several kilometres (miles) of the border, AFP correspondents on the ground said.

Residents around the town of Tall Tamr welcomed regime forces with cheers and Syrian state television showed some of them waving national flags and portraits of President Bashar al-Assad.

Syrian troops also deployed in the areas of Tabqa and Ain Issa in the northern province of Raqa, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based war monitor.

According to a newspaper close to the Damascus regime, Syrian forces were also expected to deploy in the areas of Manbij and the border town of Kobane.

The main remaining flashpoint along the border was the town of Ras al-Ain, where Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces have put up stiff resistance against Turkish air strikes and shelling for almost a week.

"There is a large tunnel network under the town" said Abou Bassam, a Syrian rebel commander fighting with Ankara's forces.

The SDF "are moving swiftly, mostly underground, and all buildings in Ras al Ain have trenches" he told AFP.

According to Observatory, the Turkish attack -- which uses Syrian proxies on the ground -- has already left 128 SDF fighters and 69 civilians dead.

The United Nations says 130,000 people have been displaced.&nbsp;

Rising toll

On the Turkish side, four soldiers and 18 civilians have been confirmed killed in six days, either in fighting or from Kurdish cross-border fire, according to Turkish sources.

The Observatory put the number of pro-Turkish Syrian forces killed in the offensive at 94.

An internal document circulated by the Kurdish administration on Monday, a copy of which was obtained by AFP, stressed the deal with Damascus was purely of a military nature and did not affect the work of the semi-autonomous institutions.

But the de-facto statelet the Kurdish administration had set up in northeastern Syria has fast unravelled in recent days, with its forces losing control of a 120-kilometre-long segment of the border.

The area that is now under the control of Turkey and its proxies is ethnically Arab-dominated and some residents welcomed Turkish-backed forces.

Betrayal

Kurdish officials and residents alike in northeastern Syria have expressed outrage at what they call a US betrayal that shortchanges the sacrifices made in the fight against IS.

Since 2014, the SDF have been the US-led anti-IS coalition's main partner on the ground in Syria, spearheading some key battles on the way to eliminating the jihadists' self-proclaimed "caliphate" earlier this year.

"The United States has lost its defeat mechanism against the Islamic State," the Institute for the Study of War wrote in a brief.

"It took years for the US to realise that the SDF were the only capable partners. They will not partner with us again," it said.

The Syrian regime sent troops towards the Turkish border on Monday to contain Ankara's deadly offensive against the Kurds, stepping in for US forces due to begin a controversial withdrawal.

The Syrian regime sent troops towards the Turkish border on Monday to contain Ankara's deadly offensive against the Kurds, stepping in for US forces due to begin a controversial withdrawal. Outgunned and without US protection, the autonomous Kurds in northeastern Syria had few other options to stop the rapid advance of Turkish troops and their Syrian proxies. Also read: Big sanctions coming on Turkey, declares US President Trump Turkey wants to create a roughly 30-kilometre (20-mile) buffer zone along its border to keep Kurdish forces at bay and also to send back some of the 3.6 million Syrian refugees it hosts. The United States and its partners, who spent years fighting alongside the Kurds against the Islamic State group in Syria before deserting them, have condemned the Turkish invasion, but their threats of sanctions have failed to stop it. Washington says that it is planning to pull out 1,000 troops -- almost the entire ground force -- from Syria's north, in a move welcomed Monday by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as "a positive approach." The chaos in the areas targeted in the six-day-old Turkish assault has already led to the escape of around 800 foreign women and children linked to IS from a Kurdish-run camp, Kurdish authorities said. The Kurds had repeatedly warned of that scenario when Western countries refused to repatriate their IS-linked nationals and when US President Donald Trump made it clear he wanted to end the US military presence. But Trump on Monday said the Kurds "may be releasing" IS prisoners to keep the US involved in Syria. Wasting no time to fill the void, Moscow -- already the top broker in Syria -- clinched a deal between the Kurds and Damascus, whose ties had been icy since the minority threw its lot with Washington and unilaterally declared self-rule. "In order to prevent and confront this aggression, an agreement has been reached with the Syrian government," the Kurdish administration said in a statement late Sunday. Averting 'genocide' In an editorial published in Foreign Policy magazine, the head of the main Kurdish force wrote: "If we have to choose between compromises and the genocide of our people, we will surely choose life for our people." By Monday morning, Syrian government forces were already moving to within several kilometres (miles) of the border, AFP correspondents on the ground said. Residents around the town of Tall Tamr welcomed regime forces with cheers and Syrian state television showed some of them waving national flags and portraits of President Bashar al-Assad. Syrian troops also deployed in the areas of Tabqa and Ain Issa in the northern province of Raqa, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based war monitor. According to a newspaper close to the Damascus regime, Syrian forces were also expected to deploy in the areas of Manbij and the border town of Kobane. The main remaining flashpoint along the border was the town of Ras al-Ain, where Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces have put up stiff resistance against Turkish air strikes and shelling for almost a week. "There is a large tunnel network under the town" said Abou Bassam, a Syrian rebel commander fighting with Ankara's forces. The SDF "are moving swiftly, mostly underground, and all buildings in Ras al Ain have trenches" he told AFP. According to Observatory, the Turkish attack -- which uses Syrian proxies on the ground -- has already left 128 SDF fighters and 69 civilians dead. The United Nations says 130,000 people have been displaced. Rising toll On the Turkish side, four soldiers and 18 civilians have been confirmed killed in six days, either in fighting or from Kurdish cross-border fire, according to Turkish sources. The Observatory put the number of pro-Turkish Syrian forces killed in the offensive at 94. An internal document circulated by the Kurdish administration on Monday, a copy of which was obtained by AFP, stressed the deal with Damascus was purely of a military nature and did not affect the work of the semi-autonomous institutions. But the de-facto statelet the Kurdish administration had set up in northeastern Syria has fast unravelled in recent days, with its forces losing control of a 120-kilometre-long segment of the border. The area that is now under the control of Turkey and its proxies is ethnically Arab-dominated and some residents welcomed Turkish-backed forces. Betrayal Kurdish officials and residents alike in northeastern Syria have expressed outrage at what they call a US betrayal that shortchanges the sacrifices made in the fight against IS. Since 2014, the SDF have been the US-led anti-IS coalition's main partner on the ground in Syria, spearheading some key battles on the way to eliminating the jihadists' self-proclaimed "caliphate" earlier this year. "The United States has lost its defeat mechanism against the Islamic State," the Institute for the Study of War wrote in a brief. "It took years for the US to realise that the SDF were the only capable partners. They will not partner with us again," it said.

Syria regime steps in to halt Turkish assault on Kurds

Turkey denied that its offensive in northern Syria had allowed Islamic State prisoners to break out of detention camps, charging Monday that Kurdish militants had instead deliberately "emptied" a prison.&nbsp;

"There is only one Daesh (Islamic State) prison in our (operation) region and we have seen it was emptied by the YPG (the Kurdish People's Protection Units militia)," Defence Minister Hulusi Akar told reporters.

"There are pictures and films of it," he added, without naming the prison.&nbsp;

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>

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan earlier hit out at "disinformation" reports that Turkey's offensive against Kurdish forces had allowed jihadists to escape.&nbsp;

"This is actually disinformation aimed at provoking America or the West," he said, quoted by the Hurriyet daily.&nbsp;

Kurdish authorities said Sunday that 800 IS family members being held in a camp at Ain Issa had fled due to Turkish bombing.&nbsp;

But relatives back in France told AFP that Kurdish guards had forced the women and children to leave the camp.

"Today (Sunday), the Kurdish guards opened the doors to the foreign women and asked them to leave the camp," said the mother of a 24-year-old woman, who had been kept at the camp with her infant son for the past 18 months.&nbsp;

"They didn't escape. They (the Kurdish forces) didn't want them. They were expecting to be taken over by Syrian or Turkish forces, but they were kicked out. For several days, the bombs were falling closer and closer to the camp, where there were no more NGOs, no more help," she added.&nbsp;

Kurdish forces also claimed that five IS jihadists escaped on Friday from a prison in the region.

Turkey is in the sixth day of its offensive in Syria against the YPG, which it sees as "terrorists" but which were a crucial ally for the United States and western powers against IS.&nbsp;

President Donald Trump denied Monday that removing US troops from the region was risking a mass escape of IS prisoners held by the Kurdish forces.&nbsp;

"Kurds may be releasing some to get us involved. Easily recaptured by Turkey or European Nations from where many came, but they should move quickly," he wrote on Twitter.

France, which accounts for the largest number of European jihadists in Syria, said Sunday it was "worried" by the situation and has called for an end to the Turkish offensive.

Turkey denied that its offensive in northern Syria had allowed Islamic State prisoners to break out of detention camps, charging Monday that Kurdish militants had instead deliberately "emptied" a prison.

Turkey denied that its offensive in northern Syria had allowed Islamic State prisoners to break out of detention camps, charging Monday that Kurdish militants had instead deliberately "emptied" a prison. "There is only one Daesh (Islamic State) prison in our (operation) region and we have seen it was emptied by the YPG (the Kurdish People's Protection Units militia)," Defence Minister Hulusi Akar told reporters. "There are pictures and films of it," he added, without naming the prison. Also read: Big sanctions coming on Turkey, declares US President Trump President Recep Tayyip Erdogan earlier hit out at "disinformation" reports that Turkey's offensive against Kurdish forces had allowed jihadists to escape. "This is actually disinformation aimed at provoking America or the West," he said, quoted by the Hurriyet daily. Kurdish authorities said Sunday that 800 IS family members being held in a camp at Ain Issa had fled due to Turkish bombing. But relatives back in France told AFP that Kurdish guards had forced the women and children to leave the camp. "Today (Sunday), the Kurdish guards opened the doors to the foreign women and asked them to leave the camp," said the mother of a 24-year-old woman, who had been kept at the camp with her infant son for the past 18 months. "They didn't escape. They (the Kurdish forces) didn't want them. They were expecting to be taken over by Syrian or Turkish forces, but they were kicked out. For several days, the bombs were falling closer and closer to the camp, where there were no more NGOs, no more help," she added. Kurdish forces also claimed that five IS jihadists escaped on Friday from a prison in the region. Turkey is in the sixth day of its offensive in Syria against the YPG, which it sees as "terrorists" but which were a crucial ally for the United States and western powers against IS. President Donald Trump denied Monday that removing US troops from the region was risking a mass escape of IS prisoners held by the Kurdish forces. "Kurds may be releasing some to get us involved. Easily recaptured by Turkey or European Nations from where many came, but they should move quickly," he wrote on Twitter. France, which accounts for the largest number of European jihadists in Syria, said Sunday it was "worried" by the situation and has called for an end to the Turkish offensive.

Turkey denies offensive triggered IS prison break

As Turkey continued to <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/celebrations-erupt-as-kurds-and-syrian-government-reach-a-deal-255737">push inside northeast Syria</a>, US President Donald Trump said Europe had the chance to get Islamic State terrorists but "did not want the cost".

"We are not going into another war between people who have been fighting with each other for 200 years," the US president said, adding,"Europe had a chance to get their ISIS prisoners, but didn’t want the cost."

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Brian Kilmeade over at <a href="https://twitter.com/foxandfriends?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@foxandfriends</a> got it all wrong. We are not going into another war between people who have been fighting with each other for 200 years. Europe had a chance to get their ISIS prisoners, but didn’t want the cost. “Let the USA pay,” they said...
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1183702528787189767?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 14, 2019</a></blockquote>
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“Let the USA pay,” they said," Trump added.

"Big sanctions on Turkey coming! Do people really think we should go to war with NATO member Turkey? Never ending wars will end!" Trump said.

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....Kurds may be releasing some to get us involved. Easily recaptured by Turkey or European Nations from where many came, but they should move quickly. Big sanctions on Turkey coming! Do people really think we should go to war with NATO Member Turkey? Never ending wars will end!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1183702529403695104?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 14, 2019</a></blockquote>
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"The same people who got us into the Middle East mess are the people who most want to stay there!&nbsp;he added.

Meanwhile, Turkey denied that its offensive in northern Syria had allowed Islamic State prisoners to break out of detention camps

Turkey President Erdogan had earlier hit out at "disinformation" reports that Turkey's offensive in notheast Syria had allowed Islamic State prisoners to escape.&nbsp;

Watch Video:

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe src="http://13.235.153.162/videos/day-5-of-turkeys-military-operation-in-syria-255702/embed" width="560" height="350" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" autoplay=1 allowfullscreen></iframe></div>

Kurdish authorities had said on Sunday that 800 IS family members being held in a camp at Ain Issa had fled due to Turkish bombing.&nbsp;

NATO member France had said earlier that it was "worried" by the situation and called for an end to the Turkish offensive even as Turkey continued its offensive push.

 
&nbsp;

As Turkey continued to push inside northeast Syria, US President Donald Trump said Europe had the chance to get Islamic State terrorists but "did not want the cost".

As Turkey continued to push inside northeast Syria, US President Donald Trump said Europe had the chance to get Islamic State terrorists but "did not want the cost". "We are not going into another war between people who have been fighting with each other for 200 years," the US president said, adding,"Europe had a chance to get their ISIS prisoners, but didn’t want the cost." Brian Kilmeade over at @foxandfriends got it all wrong. We are not going into another war between people who have been fighting with each other for 200 years. Europe had a chance to get their ISIS prisoners, but didn’t want the cost. “Let the USA pay,” they said... — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 14, 2019 × “Let the USA pay,” they said," Trump added. "Big sanctions on Turkey coming! Do people really think we should go to war with NATO member Turkey? Never ending wars will end!" Trump said. ....Kurds may be releasing some to get us involved. Easily recaptured by Turkey or European Nations from where many came, but they should move quickly. Big sanctions on Turkey coming! Do people really think we should go to war with NATO Member Turkey? Never ending wars will end! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 14, 2019 × "The same people who got us into the Middle East mess are the people who most want to stay there! he added. Meanwhile, Turkey denied that its offensive in northern Syria had allowed Islamic State prisoners to break out of detention camps Turkey President Erdogan had earlier hit out at "disinformation" reports that Turkey's offensive in notheast Syria had allowed Islamic State prisoners to escape. Watch Video: Kurdish authorities had said on Sunday that 800 IS family members being held in a camp at Ain Issa had fled due to Turkish bombing. NATO member France had said earlier that it was "worried" by the situation and called for an end to the Turkish offensive even as Turkey continued its offensive push.

Big sanctions coming on Turkey, declares US President Trump

Syrian envoy to India, Dr Riad Abbas, has lauded New Delhi for backing his country after the Turkish invasion. Speaking to WION's diplomatic correspondent Sidhant Sibal, the Syrian envoy backed India's move on&nbsp;the Kashmir issue and its policy to come hard on Pakistan.

WION: Your country has been invaded by Turkey. Your reaction?

Dr Riad Abbas: The Turkish government supports terrorism in Syria and the Turkish invasion is to protect the Islamic State and its followers.&nbsp;

They want to create a free zone in the area to put all terrorist groups there with the help of the Turkish government. The US and the Turkish government protect terrorist elements. Some terrorists are being transferred by the US from Afghanistan and South Asia to the location. We are in the process to liberate the area from foreign troops and terror groups. Our army took action in the area. We plan to defeat the Turks and terrors groups.

WION: Your reaction to New Delhi backing your country and have you briefed Indian officials on invasion by Turkey?

Dr Riad Abbas: India is a great country with a strong voice in the international community. We appreciate India's stance since the beginning of the crisis. We appreciate the statement of India on Turkish aggression on Syria. We usually do a weekly or monthly brief (to Indian officials) about the current situation in Syria.

WION: What do you have to say about Pakistan's support to Turkey?

Dr Riad Abbas: I don't have the statement but Turkey supports terrorism, all countries behind Turkey support terror.&nbsp;

WION: Do you expect any support from the Arab League and OIC?

Dr Riad Abbas: We are not keen to see what they say. They can say whatever they like and we will take action on the ground in accordance with the will of the Syrian people.&nbsp;

WION: What do you have to say about Kashmir?

Dr Riad Abbas: On the Kashmir issue, it has to be solved by discussion without any third country's participation and according to the Shimla and Lahore accords. India has the right to protect its people on the ground anywhere. 
&nbsp;

Syrian envoy to India, Dr Riad Abbas, has lauded New Delhi for backing his country after the Turkish invasion. Speaking to WION's diplomatic correspondent Sidhant Sibal, the Syrian envoy backed India's move on the Kashmir issue and its policy to come hard on Pakistan.

Syrian envoy to India, Dr Riad Abbas, has lauded New Delhi for backing his country after the Turkish invasion. Speaking to WION's diplomatic correspondent Sidhant Sibal, the Syrian envoy backed India's move on the Kashmir issue and its policy to come hard on Pakistan. WION: Your country has been invaded by Turkey. Your reaction? Dr Riad Abbas: The Turkish government supports terrorism in Syria and the Turkish invasion is to protect the Islamic State and its followers. They want to create a free zone in the area to put all terrorist groups there with the help of the Turkish government. The US and the Turkish government protect terrorist elements. Some terrorists are being transferred by the US from Afghanistan and South Asia to the location. We are in the process to liberate the area from foreign troops and terror groups. Our army took action in the area. We plan to defeat the Turks and terrors groups. WION: Your reaction to New Delhi backing your country and have you briefed Indian officials on invasion by Turkey? Dr Riad Abbas: India is a great country with a strong voice in the international community. We appreciate India's stance since the beginning of the crisis. We appreciate the statement of India on Turkish aggression on Syria. We usually do a weekly or monthly brief (to Indian officials) about the current situation in Syria. WION: What do you have to say about Pakistan's support to Turkey? Dr Riad Abbas: I don't have the statement but Turkey supports terrorism, all countries behind Turkey support terror. WION: Do you expect any support from the Arab League and OIC? Dr Riad Abbas: We are not keen to see what they say. They can say whatever they like and we will take action on the ground in accordance with the will of the Syrian people. WION: What do you have to say about Kashmir? Dr Riad Abbas: On the Kashmir issue, it has to be solved by discussion without any third country's participation and according to the Shimla and Lahore accords. India has the right to protect its people on the ground anywhere.

We appreciate India's stance on Syria after Turkish aggression: Syrian envoy to India Riad Abbas

When Russian President Vladimir Putin lands in Riyadh this week for the second time in 12 years, his call for endorsement of his proposal to replace the US defence umbrella in the Gulf with a multilateral security architecture is likely to rank high on his agenda.

So is Putin’s push for Saudi Arabia to finalise the acquisition of Russia’s S-400 anti-missile defence system in the wake of the failure of US weaponry to intercept drones and missiles that last month struck key Saudi oil installations.

“We are ready to help Saudi Arabia protect their people. They need to make clever decisions…by deciding to buy the most advanced S-400 air-defence systems. These kinds of systems are capable of defending any kind of infrastructure in Saudi Arabia from any kind of attack,” Putin said immediately after the attacks.

Putin’s push for a multilateral security approach is helped by changing realities in the Gulf as a result of President Donald Trump’s repeated recent demonstrations of his unreliability as an ally.

Doubts about Trump have been fuelled by his reluctance to respond more forcefully to perceived Iranian provocations, including the downing of a US drone in June and the September attacks on the Saudi facilities as well as his distancing himself from Israeli prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu following last month’s elections, and most recently, the president’s leaving the Kurds to their own devices as they confront a Turkish invasion in Syria.

Framed in transactional terms in which Saudi Arabia pays for a service, Trump’s decision this week to send up to 3,000 troops and additional air defences to the kingdom is likely to do little to enhance confidence in his reliability.

By comparison, Putin, with the backing of Chinese President Xi Jinping, seems a much more reliable partner even if Riyadh differs with Moscow and Beijing on key issues, including Iran, Syria and Turkey.

“While Russia is a reliable ally, the US is not. Many in the Middle East may not approve of Moscow supporting Bashar al-Assad’s regime, but they respect Vladimir Putin for sticking by Russia’s beleaguered ally in Syria,” said Middle East scholar and commentator Mark N Katz.

In a twist of irony, Trump’s unreliability coupled with an Iran’s strategy of gradual escalation in response to the president’s imposition of harsh economic sanctions in a bid to force the Islamic republic to the negotiating table appear to have moderated what was perceived as a largely disastrous assertive and robust go-it-alone Saudi foreign and defense policy posture in recent years.

While everyone would benefit from a dialling down of tensions between Saudi Arabia and Iran, Trump’s overall performance as the guarantor of security in the Gulf could in the longer term pave the way for a more multilateral approach to the region’s security architecture.

In the latest sign of Saudi willingness to step back from the brink, Saudi Arabia is holding back channel talks for the first time in two years with Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen. The talks began after both sides declared partial ceasefires in the more than four-year-long Yemeni war.

The talks potentially open the door to a broader Russian-sponsored deal in the context of some understanding about non-aggression between the kingdom and Iran, in which Saudi Arabia would re-establish diplomatic relations with Syria in exchange for the Islamic republic dropping its support for the Houthis.

Restoring diplomatic relations and reversing the Arab League’s suspension of Syrian membership because of the civil war would constitute a victory for Al-Assad’s main backers, Russia and Iran. It would grant greater legitimacy to a leader viewed by significant segments of the international community as a pariah.

A Saudi-Iranian swap of Syria for Yemen could also facilitate Saudi financial contributions to the reconstruction of war-ravaged Syria. Saudi Arabia was conspicuously absent at last month’s Rebuild Syria Expo in Damascus.&nbsp;

Putin is likely to further leverage his enhanced credibility as well as Saudi-Russian cooperation in curtailing oil production to boost prices to persuade Saudi Arabia to follow through on promises to invest in Russia.

Saudi Arabia had agreed to take a stake in Russia’s Novatek Arctic-2 liquefied natural gas complex, acquire Sibur, Russia's largest petrochemical facility, and invest an additional $6 billion in future projects.

Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak predicted that “about 30 agreements and contracts will be signed during President Putin’s visit to Saudi Arabia. We are working on it. These are investment projects, and the sum in question is billions of dollars.”

In anticipation of Putin’s visit, Russia’s sovereign wealth fund, the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), said it was opening its first overseas office in Riyadh.

RDIF and the kingdom's counterpart, the Public Investment Fund (PIF), are believed to be looking at some $2.5 billion in investment in technology, medicine, infrastructure, transport and industrial production.

The Russian fund is also discussing with Aramco, the Saudi state-owned oil company, $3 billion in investments in oil services and oil and gas conversion projects.

Saudi interest in economic cooperation with Russia goes beyond economics. Ensuring that world powers have an increasing stake in the kingdom’s security is one pillar of a more multilateral regional approach. 
&nbsp;

When Russian President Vladimir Putin lands in Riyadh this week for the second time in 12 years, his call for endorsement of his proposal to replace the US defence umbrella in the Gulf with a multilateral security architecture is likely to rank high on his agenda.

When Russian President Vladimir Putin lands in Riyadh this week for the second time in 12 years, his call for endorsement of his proposal to replace the US defence umbrella in the Gulf with a multilateral security architecture is likely to rank high on his agenda. So is Putin’s push for Saudi Arabia to finalise the acquisition of Russia’s S-400 anti-missile defence system in the wake of the failure of US weaponry to intercept drones and missiles that last month struck key Saudi oil installations. “We are ready to help Saudi Arabia protect their people. They need to make clever decisions…by deciding to buy the most advanced S-400 air-defence systems. These kinds of systems are capable of defending any kind of infrastructure in Saudi Arabia from any kind of attack,” Putin said immediately after the attacks. Putin’s push for a multilateral security approach is helped by changing realities in the Gulf as a result of President Donald Trump’s repeated recent demonstrations of his unreliability as an ally. Doubts about Trump have been fuelled by his reluctance to respond more forcefully to perceived Iranian provocations, including the downing of a US drone in June and the September attacks on the Saudi facilities as well as his distancing himself from Israeli prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu following last month’s elections, and most recently, the president’s leaving the Kurds to their own devices as they confront a Turkish invasion in Syria. Framed in transactional terms in which Saudi Arabia pays for a service, Trump’s decision this week to send up to 3,000 troops and additional air defences to the kingdom is likely to do little to enhance confidence in his reliability. By comparison, Putin, with the backing of Chinese President Xi Jinping, seems a much more reliable partner even if Riyadh differs with Moscow and Beijing on key issues, including Iran, Syria and Turkey. “While Russia is a reliable ally, the US is not. Many in the Middle East may not approve of Moscow supporting Bashar al-Assad’s regime, but they respect Vladimir Putin for sticking by Russia’s beleaguered ally in Syria,” said Middle East scholar and commentator Mark N Katz. In a twist of irony, Trump’s unreliability coupled with an Iran’s strategy of gradual escalation in response to the president’s imposition of harsh economic sanctions in a bid to force the Islamic republic to the negotiating table appear to have moderated what was perceived as a largely disastrous assertive and robust go-it-alone Saudi foreign and defense policy posture in recent years. While everyone would benefit from a dialling down of tensions between Saudi Arabia and Iran, Trump’s overall performance as the guarantor of security in the Gulf could in the longer term pave the way for a more multilateral approach to the region’s security architecture. In the latest sign of Saudi willingness to step back from the brink, Saudi Arabia is holding back channel talks for the first time in two years with Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen. The talks began after both sides declared partial ceasefires in the more than four-year-long Yemeni war. The talks potentially open the door to a broader Russian-sponsored deal in the context of some understanding about non-aggression between the kingdom and Iran, in which Saudi Arabia would re-establish diplomatic relations with Syria in exchange for the Islamic republic dropping its support for the Houthis. Restoring diplomatic relations and reversing the Arab League’s suspension of Syrian membership because of the civil war would constitute a victory for Al-Assad’s main backers, Russia and Iran. It would grant greater legitimacy to a leader viewed by significant segments of the international community as a pariah. A Saudi-Iranian swap of Syria for Yemen could also facilitate Saudi financial contributions to the reconstruction of war-ravaged Syria. Saudi Arabia was conspicuously absent at last month’s Rebuild Syria Expo in Damascus. Putin is likely to further leverage his enhanced credibility as well as Saudi-Russian cooperation in curtailing oil production to boost prices to persuade Saudi Arabia to follow through on promises to invest in Russia. Saudi Arabia had agreed to take a stake in Russia’s Novatek Arctic-2 liquefied natural gas complex, acquire Sibur, Russia's largest petrochemical facility, and invest an additional $6 billion in future projects. Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak predicted that “about 30 agreements and contracts will be signed during President Putin’s visit to Saudi Arabia. We are working on it. These are investment projects, and the sum in question is billions of dollars.” In anticipation of Putin’s visit, Russia’s sovereign wealth fund, the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), said it was opening its first overseas office in Riyadh. RDIF and the kingdom's counterpart, the Public Investment Fund (PIF), are believed to be looking at some $2.5 billion in investment in technology, medicine, infrastructure, transport and industrial production. The Russian fund is also discussing with Aramco, the Saudi state-owned oil company, $3 billion in investments in oil services and oil and gas conversion projects. Saudi interest in economic cooperation with Russia goes beyond economics. Ensuring that world powers have an increasing stake in the kingdom’s security is one pillar of a more multilateral regional approach.

Saudi Arabia's interest in Russia goes beyond economics

Russian President Vladimir Putin visits Saudi Arabia on Monday for the first time in over a decade, seeking to capitalise on growing influence borne of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/day-5-of-turkeys-military-operation-in-syria-255702">military advances in Syria</a>, strong ties with regional rivals and cooperation on energy policy.

Moscow accrued power in the Middle East in 2015 by sending troops to Syria, where it and Iran have been key backers of President Bashar al-Assad amid civil war, while the United States pulled back.

On the eve of Putin's trip,<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pentagon-says-up-to-1000-us-troops-to-withdraw-from-northern-syria-255677"> US&nbsp;troops were evacuating</a> northern Syria as their erstwhile Kurdish allies struck a deal with Assad's Russian-backed army aimed at halting a Turkish offensive.

Russia has also strengthened ties with both Sunni Muslim Saudi Arabia and Shi'ite Iran, which are locked in a decades-old contest for influence that veered towards open conflict after a recent spate of attacks on oil assets in the Gulf that Riyadh and Washington blame on Tehran. Iran denies the charges.

Tensions with Iran, which is locked in several proxy wars with Saudi Arabia including in Syria, have risen to new highs after Washington last year quit a 2015 international nuclear accord with Tehran and re-imposed sanctions.

Putin, accompanied on the trip by his energy minister and head of Russia's wealth fund, is due to hold talks with King Salman and de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, with whom Putin says he has friendly relations.

The strengthened ties have seen non-OPEC Russia, once regarded as a rival in oil markets, join OPEC kingpin Saudi Arabia in forming an alliance known as OPEC+ to support crude prices by restraining output.

Ahead of the visit, Putin, who offered to provide Russian defense systems to the kingdom after <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/attacks-on-oil-facilities-unquestionably-sponsored-by-iran-saudi-arabia-250580">September&nbsp;14 attacks </a>on its oil facilities, said he could also play a positive role in easing tensions with Tehran as he had good ties with both sides.

Any progress on long-mulled Saudi plans to purchase the Russian S-400 surface-to-air missile systems would cause disquiet in Washington, which announced over the weekend it was sending around 3,000 troops and additional air defence systems to Saudi Arabia following last month's attack.

Asked about concerns Riyadh was cozying up to Moscow, Saudi Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel al-Jubeir said he saw no contradiction.

"We don’t believe that having close ties with Russia has any negative impact on our relationship with the United States," he told reporters on Sunday. "We believe that we can have strategic and strong ties with the United States while we develop our ties with Russia."

Russian and Saudi flags lined the streets of Riyadh ahead of Putin's one-day visit, which includes a performance by Russia's Tchaikovsky Symphony Orchestra. Putin then travels to the United Arab Emirates.

In meetings with Saudi leaders, the Russian president will discuss the OPEC+ pact, which has seen production cut by 1.2 million barrels per day since January.

A forum will convene 300 Saudi and Russian CEOs. The two sides are expected to sign more than $2 billion of deals, including a joint investment by state oil giant Saudi Aramco and Russia’s RDIF sovereign wealth fund.

RDIF head Kirill Dmitriev said a number of Russian investors were interested in a planned initial public offering of Aramco, which could sell between 1 per cent&nbsp;and 2 per cent through a local listing as early as November ahead of a potential international offering.

Energy Minister Alexander Novak said Russia's Gazprom is interested in cooperating with Saudi firms on natural gas.

Moscow, the world’s largest wheat exporter, made some progress in accessing the Saudi and Middle Eastern markets when the kingdom agreed in August to relax specifications for wheat imports, opening the door to Black Sea imports.

Russian President Vladimir Putin visits Saudi Arabia on Monday for the first time in over a decade, seeking to capitalise on growing influence borne of military advances in Syria, strong ties with regional rivals and cooperation on energy policy.

Russian President Vladimir Putin visits Saudi Arabia on Monday for the first time in over a decade, seeking to capitalise on growing influence borne of military advances in Syria, strong ties with regional rivals and cooperation on energy policy. Moscow accrued power in the Middle East in 2015 by sending troops to Syria, where it and Iran have been key backers of President Bashar al-Assad amid civil war, while the United States pulled back. On the eve of Putin's trip, US troops were evacuating northern Syria as their erstwhile Kurdish allies struck a deal with Assad's Russian-backed army aimed at halting a Turkish offensive. Russia has also strengthened ties with both Sunni Muslim Saudi Arabia and Shi'ite Iran, which are locked in a decades-old contest for influence that veered towards open conflict after a recent spate of attacks on oil assets in the Gulf that Riyadh and Washington blame on Tehran. Iran denies the charges. Tensions with Iran, which is locked in several proxy wars with Saudi Arabia including in Syria, have risen to new highs after Washington last year quit a 2015 international nuclear accord with Tehran and re-imposed sanctions. Putin, accompanied on the trip by his energy minister and head of Russia's wealth fund, is due to hold talks with King Salman and de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, with whom Putin says he has friendly relations. The strengthened ties have seen non-OPEC Russia, once regarded as a rival in oil markets, join OPEC kingpin Saudi Arabia in forming an alliance known as OPEC+ to support crude prices by restraining output. Ahead of the visit, Putin, who offered to provide Russian defense systems to the kingdom after September 14 attacks on its oil facilities, said he could also play a positive role in easing tensions with Tehran as he had good ties with both sides. Any progress on long-mulled Saudi plans to purchase the Russian S-400 surface-to-air missile systems would cause disquiet in Washington, which announced over the weekend it was sending around 3,000 troops and additional air defence systems to Saudi Arabia following last month's attack. Asked about concerns Riyadh was cozying up to Moscow, Saudi Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel al-Jubeir said he saw no contradiction. "We don’t believe that having close ties with Russia has any negative impact on our relationship with the United States," he told reporters on Sunday. "We believe that we can have strategic and strong ties with the United States while we develop our ties with Russia." Russian and Saudi flags lined the streets of Riyadh ahead of Putin's one-day visit, which includes a performance by Russia's Tchaikovsky Symphony Orchestra. Putin then travels to the United Arab Emirates. In meetings with Saudi leaders, the Russian president will discuss the OPEC+ pact, which has seen production cut by 1.2 million barrels per day since January. A forum will convene 300 Saudi and Russian CEOs. The two sides are expected to sign more than $2 billion of deals, including a joint investment by state oil giant Saudi Aramco and Russia’s RDIF sovereign wealth fund. RDIF head Kirill Dmitriev said a number of Russian investors were interested in a planned initial public offering of Aramco, which could sell between 1 per cent and 2 per cent through a local listing as early as November ahead of a potential international offering. Energy Minister Alexander Novak said Russia's Gazprom is interested in cooperating with Saudi firms on natural gas. Moscow, the world’s largest wheat exporter, made some progress in accessing the Saudi and Middle Eastern markets when the kingdom agreed in August to relax specifications for wheat imports, opening the door to Black Sea imports.

Saudi Arabia visit showcases Russian President Vladimir Putin's growing Middle East influence

The Syria-Turkey border security is worsening due to sustained battles that left large numbers of Syrians fleeing their homes. The U.S. President Donald Trump continued to defend on Saturday his controversial decision to pull some U.S. troops out of an area of Syria where they had been supporting Kurdish forces. Watch this video to know more.

Day 5 of Turkey's military operation in Syria

Thousands of people, some shouting "Erdogan terrorist", took to the streets of Paris and other European cities on Saturday in protest at the Turkish <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/as-new-syrian-exodus-unfolds-some-fear-they-will-never-go-home-255529">assault on Kurds in Syria</a>.

Protesters marching under the Kurdish green, red and yellow flag waved placards reading "Trump = serial killer" or calling Turkish President Recep Tayyip <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/germany-bans-weapons-sales-to-turkey-over-syria-offensive-255539">Erdogan "the true leader of Daesh,"</a> the Arabic acronym for the Islamic State jihadist group.

Organisers said "more than 20,000 people" took part in the demonstration in Paris after Ankara stepped up its assault on Kurdish-held border towns in northeastern Syria on Saturday, defying mounting threats of international sanctions.

"Turkey is invading Rojava (the self-proclaimed Kurdish zone in northeast Syria) and Europe is watching," they shouted as they marched towards Chatelet in central Paris. Police in the capital estimated 4,000 people had taken part.

In France, a spokesman for one Kurdish group called for US and European Union sanctions against Turkey.

There were similar protests in other French cities including Marseille, Strasbourg -- the seat of the European parliament -- Bordeaux, Lille and Grenoble.

The Turkish offensive began on Wednesday after US President Donald Trump ordered American troops to pull back from the border.

Trump has faced a storm of criticism for abandoning a loyal ally in the US-led campaign against the Islamic State group.

Pro-Kurdish protests were also held across Germany with more than 10,000 participants in Cologne, according to news agency DPA.&nbsp;

Several hundred demonstrated in the Hungarian capital Budapest outside the Turkish and US embassies, chanting &nbsp;"Trump-Orban-Erdogan dictators!". Viktor Orban is Hungary's populist right-wing prime minister.

Scores of Kurds also marched through Cyprus’s capital Nicosia, with one protester holding up a banner that read: "Do not be an accomplice to the genocide of the Kurdish nation."

'Ethnic cleansing'

Thousands marched in Vienna while in Athens, some 1,800 people according to police tried to march on the Turkish embassy, shouting "Erdogan terrorist".

A similar protest was held in Zurich's old quarter to the strains of Kurdish music. "Turkish army out of Kurdistan", the protesters cried. "Stop terror."

About 5,000 people marched to the Swedish parliament in Stockholm. Similar protests were staged in The Hague, Warsaw and Brussels.&nbsp;

"Turkey is trying to carry out ethnic cleansing and reinforce jihadism ... to make the West kneel," said Agit Polat, spokesman for the Kurdish Democratic Council in France, speaking in Paris.

Watch video:

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/wion-edit-what-led-to-trumps-syria-u-turn-255071/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"Since the beginning of the Turkish army invasion operation, dormant Daesh cells have committed attacks.

"At all costs, there must be concrete economic sanctions from the European Union and the United States vis-avis Turkey," he added.

Polat also urged France to recall its ambassador to Turkey.&nbsp;

Several French politicians from leftist to green took part in the Paris march.

"It is historical nonsense what is happening in the north-east of Syria because they are the most faithful allies of France," said Eric Coquerel, a lawmaker for the radical left France Unbowed party.

Just hours before Paris announced the measure, Green Party senator Esther Benbassa called on France to suspend the sale of arms to Turkey -- a measure already announced by Finland, Germany, Norway and The Netherlands.

Thousands of people, some shouting "Erdogan terrorist", took to the streets of Paris and other European cities on Saturday in protest at the Turkish assault on Kurds in Syria.

Thousands of people, some shouting "Erdogan terrorist", took to the streets of Paris and other European cities on Saturday in protest at the Turkish assault on Kurds in Syria. Protesters marching under the Kurdish green, red and yellow flag waved placards reading "Trump = serial killer" or calling Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan "the true leader of Daesh," the Arabic acronym for the Islamic State jihadist group. Organisers said "more than 20,000 people" took part in the demonstration in Paris after Ankara stepped up its assault on Kurdish-held border towns in northeastern Syria on Saturday, defying mounting threats of international sanctions. "Turkey is invading Rojava (the self-proclaimed Kurdish zone in northeast Syria) and Europe is watching," they shouted as they marched towards Chatelet in central Paris. Police in the capital estimated 4,000 people had taken part. In France, a spokesman for one Kurdish group called for US and European Union sanctions against Turkey. There were similar protests in other French cities including Marseille, Strasbourg -- the seat of the European parliament -- Bordeaux, Lille and Grenoble. The Turkish offensive began on Wednesday after US President Donald Trump ordered American troops to pull back from the border. Trump has faced a storm of criticism for abandoning a loyal ally in the US-led campaign against the Islamic State group. Pro-Kurdish protests were also held across Germany with more than 10,000 participants in Cologne, according to news agency DPA. Several hundred demonstrated in the Hungarian capital Budapest outside the Turkish and US embassies, chanting "Trump-Orban-Erdogan dictators!". Viktor Orban is Hungary's populist right-wing prime minister. Scores of Kurds also marched through Cyprus’s capital Nicosia, with one protester holding up a banner that read: "Do not be an accomplice to the genocide of the Kurdish nation." 'Ethnic cleansing' Thousands marched in Vienna while in Athens, some 1,800 people according to police tried to march on the Turkish embassy, shouting "Erdogan terrorist". A similar protest was held in Zurich's old quarter to the strains of Kurdish music. "Turkish army out of Kurdistan", the protesters cried. "Stop terror." About 5,000 people marched to the Swedish parliament in Stockholm. Similar protests were staged in The Hague, Warsaw and Brussels. "Turkey is trying to carry out ethnic cleansing and reinforce jihadism ... to make the West kneel," said Agit Polat, spokesman for the Kurdish Democratic Council in France, speaking in Paris. Watch video: "Since the beginning of the Turkish army invasion operation, dormant Daesh cells have committed attacks. "At all costs, there must be concrete economic sanctions from the European Union and the United States vis-avis Turkey," he added. Polat also urged France to recall its ambassador to Turkey. Several French politicians from leftist to green took part in the Paris march. "It is historical nonsense what is happening in the north-east of Syria because they are the most faithful allies of France," said Eric Coquerel, a lawmaker for the radical left France Unbowed party. Just hours before Paris announced the measure, Green Party senator Esther Benbassa called on France to suspend the sale of arms to Turkey -- a measure already announced by Finland, Germany, Norway and The Netherlands.

Thousands protest in Europe against Turkey's assault on Syria

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

Nearly 800 Islamic State supporters escaped from Syria

The Syria-Turkey border security is worsening due to sustained battles that left large numbers of Syrians fleeing their homes. U.S. President Donald Trump continued to defend on Saturday his controversial decision to pull some U.S. troops out of an area of Syria where they had been supporting Kurdish forces.

Security worsening at Turkey-Syria border, Trump continues to defend his decision

Battles raged in Syria as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan vowed to press on with a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/turkish-attack-on-syria-endangers-a-remarkable-democratic-experiment-by-the-kurds-255206">deadly assault against Kurdish forces</a>, while the Pentagon said Friday US troops came under artillery fire from Turkish positions.

Erdogan's pledge to keep up the offensive, which the UN says has displaced more than 100,000 people since it began on Wednesday, came as the US Treasury warned President Donald Trump was planning to activate <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/turkey-intensifies-syria-campaign-washington-warns-of-serious-consequences-255344">"very powerful" sanctions</a> on Ankara.

Trump, whose order to pull back US troops from the border this week effectively triggered the intervention, has faced a firestorm of criticism for appearing to give a green light to the push.

Turkey is targeting the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a key US ally in the five-year battle to crush the Islamic State group.

A Pentagon spokesman confirmed an explosion within a few hundred meters of its post close to the northern Syrian border, in an area "known by the Turks to have US forces present".

"All US troops are accounted for with no injuries," Navy Captain Brook DeWalt said in a statement. US forces had not withdrawn from their position near the town of Kobani, he said.

"The US demands that Turkey avoid actions that could result in immediate defensive action," warned DeWalt.

Earlier Friday, US Defence Secretary Mark Esper "strongly encouraged" Turkey to halt its offensive as a prelude to such negotiations, warning of "serious consequences".

But Erdogan vowed the assault "will not stop".

"Now there are threats coming from left and right, telling us to stop this," he said. "We will not step back."

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Trump had authorized -- but not yet activated -- new sanctions to dissuade Turkey from further offensive military action.

"We can shut down the Turkish economy if we need to," he said.

'Heavy fighting'

Turkey's third such operation since the start of the war in Syria has been met with international condemnation over what many see as the blatant US betrayal of the Kurdish forces, who have lost 11,000 fighters in the campaign against IS.

As the offensive went into its third day, the SDF were fending for themselves, trying to repulse multiple ground attacks along a roughly 120-kilometre (75-mile) stretch of the border.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor said the Turkish forces and their Syrian proxies -- mostly Sunni Arab ex-rebels -- were launching airstrikes, heavy artillery and rocket fire.

In Al-Hol, a camp holding relatives of IS suspects that lies outside the area targeted by Turkey, women started riots Friday that Kurdish forces swiftly put down.

Watch video:

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/first-turkish-soldier-killed-in-syria-operation-255196/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo">The risk that thousands of the jihadists they still hold could break free on the back of the Turkish assault could yet spur the international community into action.</div>

However Russia and China on Friday blocked a UN Security Council statement drafted by Washington calling on Turkey to halt its offensive, diplomats told AFP.

Exodus

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said four civilians were killed in Tal Abyad when an airstrike hit the car in which they were fleeing the fighting, while another three were shot dead by snipers around the border town.

That brings the civilian death toll to 17 on the Syrian side, while 17 have also been killed in Turkey.

According to the monitor, 54 SDF fighters have also been killed while Turkey has reported the deaths of four soldiers.

Ras al-Ain, Tal Abyad and other border towns between them have been almost emptied in a huge wave of displacement.

Most of those fleeing were heading east towards the city of Hasakeh, which has not been targeted by Turkey.

"What does Erdogan want from us?" asked one woman, as she and her family settled into a school being used as an emergency shelter. "Is it all simply because we are Kurds?"

Erdogan hopes to create a buffer zone between the border and territory controlled by Syrian Kurdish forces, who have links with Turkey's own Kurdish rebels.

He also plans to use the strip, which he envisions will be about 30 kilometres deep, as an area in which to send back some of the 3.6 million Syrian refugees who live on Turkish soil.

Ceasefire?

Aid groups have warned of yet another humanitarian disaster in Syria's eight-year-old war if the offensive is not stopped.

France, a key partner in the US-led anti-IS coalition, has threatened sanctions against NATO member Turkey.

French leader Emmanuel Macron said the Turkish offensive must stop "as soon as possible" in a phone conversation with Trump on Friday, the presidency said.

Turkey is still far from having reached the goals of its military invasion but the risk appears to be growing that detained IS fighters could break free.

Kurdish officials said five IS prisoners managed to escape from a Qamishli facility housing mostly foreign jihadists after shelling struck nearby.

A car bomb claimed by IS also went off Friday in Qamishli, one of the main towns in the Kurdish region, killing at least six people, officials and the Observatory said.

The Kurdish administration says some 12,000 men are held in seven detention centres across Kurdish-controlled areas.

The US says it has already plucked two of the most high-profile IS jihadists to have been captured and spirited them out of Syria.

Battles raged in Syria as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan vowed to press on with a deadly assault against Kurdish forces, while the Pentagon said Friday US troops came under artillery fire from Turkish positions.

Battles raged in Syria as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan vowed to press on with a deadly assault against Kurdish forces, while the Pentagon said Friday US troops came under artillery fire from Turkish positions. Erdogan's pledge to keep up the offensive, which the UN says has displaced more than 100,000 people since it began on Wednesday, came as the US Treasury warned President Donald Trump was planning to activate "very powerful" sanctions on Ankara. Trump, whose order to pull back US troops from the border this week effectively triggered the intervention, has faced a firestorm of criticism for appearing to give a green light to the push. Turkey is targeting the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a key US ally in the five-year battle to crush the Islamic State group. A Pentagon spokesman confirmed an explosion within a few hundred meters of its post close to the northern Syrian border, in an area "known by the Turks to have US forces present". "All US troops are accounted for with no injuries," Navy Captain Brook DeWalt said in a statement. US forces had not withdrawn from their position near the town of Kobani, he said. "The US demands that Turkey avoid actions that could result in immediate defensive action," warned DeWalt. Earlier Friday, US Defence Secretary Mark Esper "strongly encouraged" Turkey to halt its offensive as a prelude to such negotiations, warning of "serious consequences". But Erdogan vowed the assault "will not stop". "Now there are threats coming from left and right, telling us to stop this," he said. "We will not step back." Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Trump had authorized -- but not yet activated -- new sanctions to dissuade Turkey from further offensive military action. "We can shut down the Turkish economy if we need to," he said. 'Heavy fighting' Turkey's third such operation since the start of the war in Syria has been met with international condemnation over what many see as the blatant US betrayal of the Kurdish forces, who have lost 11,000 fighters in the campaign against IS. As the offensive went into its third day, the SDF were fending for themselves, trying to repulse multiple ground attacks along a roughly 120-kilometre (75-mile) stretch of the border. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor said the Turkish forces and their Syrian proxies -- mostly Sunni Arab ex-rebels -- were launching airstrikes, heavy artillery and rocket fire. In Al-Hol, a camp holding relatives of IS suspects that lies outside the area targeted by Turkey, women started riots Friday that Kurdish forces swiftly put down. Watch video: The risk that thousands of the jihadists they still hold could break free on the back of the Turkish assault could yet spur the international community into action. However Russia and China on Friday blocked a UN Security Council statement drafted by Washington calling on Turkey to halt its offensive, diplomats told AFP. Exodus The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said four civilians were killed in Tal Abyad when an airstrike hit the car in which they were fleeing the fighting, while another three were shot dead by snipers around the border town. That brings the civilian death toll to 17 on the Syrian side, while 17 have also been killed in Turkey. According to the monitor, 54 SDF fighters have also been killed while Turkey has reported the deaths of four soldiers. Ras al-Ain, Tal Abyad and other border towns between them have been almost emptied in a huge wave of displacement. Most of those fleeing were heading east towards the city of Hasakeh, which has not been targeted by Turkey. "What does Erdogan want from us?" asked one woman, as she and her family settled into a school being used as an emergency shelter. "Is it all simply because we are Kurds?" Erdogan hopes to create a buffer zone between the border and territory controlled by Syrian Kurdish forces, who have links with Turkey's own Kurdish rebels. He also plans to use the strip, which he envisions will be about 30 kilometres deep, as an area in which to send back some of the 3.6 million Syrian refugees who live on Turkish soil. Ceasefire? Aid groups have warned of yet another humanitarian disaster in Syria's eight-year-old war if the offensive is not stopped. France, a key partner in the US-led anti-IS coalition, has threatened sanctions against NATO member Turkey. French leader Emmanuel Macron said the Turkish offensive must stop "as soon as possible" in a phone conversation with Trump on Friday, the presidency said. Turkey is still far from having reached the goals of its military invasion but the risk appears to be growing that detained IS fighters could break free. Kurdish officials said five IS prisoners managed to escape from a Qamishli facility housing mostly foreign jihadists after shelling struck nearby. A car bomb claimed by IS also went off Friday in Qamishli, one of the main towns in the Kurdish region, killing at least six people, officials and the Observatory said. The Kurdish administration says some 12,000 men are held in seven detention centres across Kurdish-controlled areas. The US says it has already plucked two of the most high-profile IS jihadists to have been captured and spirited them out of Syria.

Turkey vows to keep up Syria assault as US says troops came under fire

Pakistan has offered rare backing to Turkey in its <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/turkey-vows-to-keep-up-syria-assault-as-us-says-troops-came-under-fire-255364">offensive against Kurdish forces in Syria</a>, with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expected to visit Islamabad later this month.

Turkey on Wednesday launched an offensive in northern Syria targeting the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, a key US ally in the five-year battle to crush the Islamic State group. The SDF lost 11,000 fighters in the US-led campaign.

It is Turkey's third such operation since the start of the war in Syria and has been met with international condemnation.

Prime Minister Imran Khan, however, called Erdogan on Friday to "convey Pakistan's support and solidarity," his office said.

"The prime minister told him that Pakistan fully understands Turkey's concerns relating to terrorism," it said, adding "Pakistan is fully cognizant of the threats and challenges being faced by Turkey having lost 40,000 of its people to terrorism".

Khan told Erdogan that "Pakistan stands in full support and solidarity with Turkey," it said.

"We pray that Turkey's efforts for enhanced security, regional stability and peaceful resolution of the Syrian situation are fully successful," Khan was quoted as saying.

Khan's office said Erdogan would visit Pakistan later this month.

President Donald Trump has faced a firestorm of criticism for appearing to greenlight Turkey's offensive into northeastern Syria, which began after Trump ordered US troops to pull back from the border.

US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Friday Trump had authorised -- but not yet activated -- "very significant new sanctions" to dissuade Turkey from further offensive military action.

Pakistan has offered rare backing to Turkey in its offensive against Kurdish forces in Syria, with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expected to visit Islamabad later this month.

Pakistan has offered rare backing to Turkey in its offensive against Kurdish forces in Syria, with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expected to visit Islamabad later this month. Turkey on Wednesday launched an offensive in northern Syria targeting the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, a key US ally in the five-year battle to crush the Islamic State group. The SDF lost 11,000 fighters in the US-led campaign. It is Turkey's third such operation since the start of the war in Syria and has been met with international condemnation. Prime Minister Imran Khan, however, called Erdogan on Friday to "convey Pakistan's support and solidarity," his office said. "The prime minister told him that Pakistan fully understands Turkey's concerns relating to terrorism," it said, adding "Pakistan is fully cognizant of the threats and challenges being faced by Turkey having lost 40,000 of its people to terrorism". Khan told Erdogan that "Pakistan stands in full support and solidarity with Turkey," it said. "We pray that Turkey's efforts for enhanced security, regional stability and peaceful resolution of the Syrian situation are fully successful," Khan was quoted as saying. Khan's office said Erdogan would visit Pakistan later this month. President Donald Trump has faced a firestorm of criticism for appearing to greenlight Turkey's offensive into northeastern Syria, which began after Trump ordered US troops to pull back from the border. US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Friday Trump had authorised -- but not yet activated -- "very significant new sanctions" to dissuade Turkey from further offensive military action.

Pakistan supports Turkey's Syria offensive

Donald Trump says he hopes to mediate between Turkey and the Kurds

Turkey's Syria Invasion: U.S. President Trump offers to mediate

Turkey angrily rejected on October 10, international criticism of its attack on a Kurdish militia in Syria, reporting progress by its forces on the second day of an operation that world powers fear could further destabilise a region in turmoil.

Turkey Invades Syria: Erdogan threatens to send Syrian refugees to Europe

Turkey pounded Kurdish militia in northeast Syria for a second day on Thursday, forcing tens of thousands of people to flee and killing at least dozens of people in a cross-border assault on U.S. allies that has turned the Washington establishment against President Donald Trump.

Turkey Invades Syria and attacks Kurds

For the second time in two years, Jihan and her family had to pack their bags and abandon their home in northern Syria because of a Turkish invasion.

As she picked her way through the belongings other <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/more-than-60000-displaced-by-turkey-assault-on-syria-monitor-255034">displaced families </a>had strewn across the schoolyard, the 47-year-old mother felt a mix of anger and wary deja vu.

"We don't know where to go," she said, moments after reaching the school in the city Hasakeh which the autonomous Kurdish administration turned into a shelter.

According to the United Nations, 70,000 people have had to flee their homes since <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/turkey-invades-syria-and-attacks-kurds-255086">Turkey launched a cross-border offensive </a>on Kurdish-controlled areas on Wednesday.

It is the third time since the start of the Syria conflict in 2011 that Turkey has invaded northern Syria.

The last time was in early 2018, when Turkish forces and their Syrian proxies seized the Kurdish-majority area of Afrin, causing another major wave of displacement.

Jihan and her family fled her native Afrin then and settled in Kobane, another mostly Kurdish border town that suffered major destruction earlier in the war.

On Thursday, she had to flee again and join the flock of civilians who have streaming to Hasakeh, an eastern city that has not been targeted by Turkey so far.

"What does Erdogan want from us?," she raged, referring to the Turkish president. "Is it all simply because we are Kurds?"

She and most other displaced Kurds have been unable to return to Afrin, where mostly Sunni Arab former rebels loyal to Ankara have settled.

Some of the same former rebels, who were defeated by regime forces and cannot return to their own native regions in Syria, are now supporting Turkey's latest operation.

History is repeating itself in many ways: Turkey launched its attack on Afrin last year after Russian forces quit positions in the area.

This week, Ankara and its proxies launched their offensive two days after US forces pulled back from the border, leaving their Kurdish allies in the lurch.

"In Afrin, Russia sold us out. Today, America is selling us out," is how Jihan summed it up.

In the schoolyard in Hasakeh, the displaced children play on a rusty old swing while their parents start unpacking their bags and feed the youngest.

Most of the displaced are from the largest towns on the border, including Kobane, Tal Abyad and Ras al-Ain.

"Following the emergency... people went to Tall Tamr, Hasakeh, and surrounding villages. We have requisitioned three schools to house the people," said Majida Amin, a local official in charge of displaced people.

She said that the number of people who were given shelter in the first school was 220 and increasing with every hour.

Amin said that little help was available from local aid groups and called on the international community to step up and organise the emergency humanitarian response.

She explained that most of the people who fled their homes try to move in with relatives who live in safer areas before coming to the newly opened shelters.

Since Turkish jets and artillery started raining bombs and shells, families can be seen heading away from the border, some of them walking down roads with bags and bundles on their backs.

Others like Ibrahim Fares and his family were able to squeeze in a car to leave Ras al-Ain, one of the towns hardest hit.

"Now we don't know where to go and where we will sleep," the 28-year-old said.

For the second time in two years, Jihan and her family had to pack their bags and abandon their home in northern Syria because of a Turkish invasion. As she picked her way through the belongings other displaced families had strewn across the schoolyard, the 47-year-old mother felt a mix of anger and wary deja vu.

For the second time in two years, Jihan and her family had to pack their bags and abandon their home in northern Syria because of a Turkish invasion. As she picked her way through the belongings other displaced families had strewn across the schoolyard, the 47-year-old mother felt a mix of anger and wary deja vu. "We don't know where to go," she said, moments after reaching the school in the city Hasakeh which the autonomous Kurdish administration turned into a shelter. According to the United Nations, 70,000 people have had to flee their homes since Turkey launched a cross-border offensive on Kurdish-controlled areas on Wednesday. It is the third time since the start of the Syria conflict in 2011 that Turkey has invaded northern Syria. The last time was in early 2018, when Turkish forces and their Syrian proxies seized the Kurdish-majority area of Afrin, causing another major wave of displacement. Jihan and her family fled her native Afrin then and settled in Kobane, another mostly Kurdish border town that suffered major destruction earlier in the war. On Thursday, she had to flee again and join the flock of civilians who have streaming to Hasakeh, an eastern city that has not been targeted by Turkey so far. "What does Erdogan want from us?," she raged, referring to the Turkish president. "Is it all simply because we are Kurds?" She and most other displaced Kurds have been unable to return to Afrin, where mostly Sunni Arab former rebels loyal to Ankara have settled. Some of the same former rebels, who were defeated by regime forces and cannot return to their own native regions in Syria, are now supporting Turkey's latest operation. History is repeating itself in many ways: Turkey launched its attack on Afrin last year after Russian forces quit positions in the area. This week, Ankara and its proxies launched their offensive two days after US forces pulled back from the border, leaving their Kurdish allies in the lurch. "In Afrin, Russia sold us out. Today, America is selling us out," is how Jihan summed it up. In the schoolyard in Hasakeh, the displaced children play on a rusty old swing while their parents start unpacking their bags and feed the youngest. Most of the displaced are from the largest towns on the border, including Kobane, Tal Abyad and Ras al-Ain. "Following the emergency... people went to Tall Tamr, Hasakeh, and surrounding villages. We have requisitioned three schools to house the people," said Majida Amin, a local official in charge of displaced people. She said that the number of people who were given shelter in the first school was 220 and increasing with every hour. Amin said that little help was available from local aid groups and called on the international community to step up and organise the emergency humanitarian response. She explained that most of the people who fled their homes try to move in with relatives who live in safer areas before coming to the newly opened shelters. Since Turkish jets and artillery started raining bombs and shells, families can be seen heading away from the border, some of them walking down roads with bags and bundles on their backs. Others like Ibrahim Fares and his family were able to squeeze in a car to leave Ras al-Ain, one of the towns hardest hit. "Now we don't know where to go and where we will sleep," the 28-year-old said.

In Syria, history repeats itself for displaced Kurds

By James L Gelvin

Turkey’s attack on Kurdish-run territory in northern Syria will likely snuff out a radical experiment in self-government that is unlike anything I have seen in more than 30 years studying the Middle East.

In a surprise October 6 statement, President Donald Trump announced the US would withdraw its troops from northern Syria.

Approximately 1,000 American soldiers had been stationed in that region as a buffer separating Kurdish forces – who had been working with the Americans in the fight against the Islamic State – from Turkish troops. Turkey feared that the Syrian Kurds would link up with Turkey’s Kurdish minority who have demanded autonomy or independence.

On October 9, the Turkish military began its assault, pummeling Kurdish-held territory with artillery and airstrikes. Kurds are rapidly evacuating the region and at least 24 people have been killed in northern Syria. Retaliatory strikes from Syria have killed civilians in southern Turkey.

According to Turkish President Recep Erdogan, Turkey’s goal is to create a buffer zone separating Syria’s Kurds from the Turkish border.

But his country’s attack will do much more than that. If successful, it will destroy the most full-fledged democracy the Middle East has yet to see.

A different way to govern

The Kurds call their autonomous region in Syria “Rojava,” meaning “the land where the sunsets.”

Kurdish-led forces took possession of this swath of territory in northern and eastern Syria from direct Syrian government control in 2012. Then they successfully defended it against the Islamic State.

Kurdish Syria is a small portion of a territory, known as Kurdistan, that includes parts of Turkey, Syria, Iraq and Iran. Kurdistan is home to approximately 25-35 million Kurds, a cultural and ethnic minority in the Middle East.

The key to understanding the Rojava project, as those involved often refer to it, is the notion of “confederalism.” In this form of government, local units – in this case, Kurdistan’s “autonomous regions” – come together in a federation yet retain a great deal of autonomy.

Because sovereign power belongs to the local units and not to a central government, Kurdish confederalism differs from an American-style federal system.

The Kurds are so serious about devolving power to the local level that Rojava’s charter requires each of its three regions to have its own flag. And within each region, local elected councils are in charge. They organize garbage collection, adjudicate disputes and manage public health and safety.

Confederalism sets the Kurds apart from almost every other government in the Middle East.&nbsp;

Across the region, power is concentrated at the top. Syria’s president, Bashar al-Assad, is an authoritarian leader who has ruthlessly crushed his opponents in the country’s eight-year civil war. Egypt has a military government. Saudi Arabia has a king.

But Rojava would be an exceptional society almost anywhere.

Rojava’s charter guarantees freedom of expression and assembly and equality of all religious communities and languages. It mandates direct democracy, term limits and gender equality. Men and women share every position in government. Kurdish women have fought the Islamic State in Syria as soldiers in an all-female militia.

In a region where religion and politics are often intertwined, the Kurdish state is secular. Religious leaders cannot serve in politics. Rojava’s charter even affirms the right of all citizens to a healthy environment.

Surrounding countries, including Syria, also have constitutions with eloquent endorsements of political and human rights.

In Rojava, however, the constitution is actually in effect. Syrian Kurds have realized the dream of the 2010-2011 pro-democracy uprisings across the Arab world.

Rojava’s downsides

Internal cleavages in Syria’s Kurdish community undermine the Rojava project – namely, the perpetual jockeying for power between rival Kurdish clans and the struggle for preeminence among Turkish, Syrian and Iraqi Kurds.

The Kurds also have a troubled relationship with Syria’s Arabs and other groups. Beginning in the 1960s, the Syrian government began moving other populations to Kurdish territory to challenge Kurdish dominance there, sparking Kurdish resentment.

The devastation wrought by the Islamic State – such as the mass murder of the Yazidis, a religious minority within the Kurdish community, and sexual enslavement of their women – further fueled this resentment.

There have been numerous reports of Kurdish soldiers taking violent revenge against captured Islamic State members, alleged collaborators and even entire villages suspected of aiding the Islamic State enemy.

The Kurdish region of Syria also has some politically problematic origins.

The Syrian-Kurdish Democratic Union Party – Rojava’s leading political party – played an outsized role in the creation of Rojava. The party is affiliated with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, a far-left militant group that has fought against the Turkish government, first for the independence of Kurds from Turkey in the 1980s and 1990s, then – in the early 2000s – for their autonomy within Turkish borders.

Many Kurds in Rojava consider PKK founder Abdullah Ocalan a national hero. It was Ocalan who came up with the idea of confederalism in the first place, back in 2005.

But both Turkey and the United States consider the PKK to be a terrorist organization. The PKK is currently conducting an insurgency against the Turkish government.

Danger ahead 
 
The Rojava project is now in imminent peril.

Even if Turkey hadn’t launched its military offensive, Rojava would probably still have a tenuous future.

The Syrian-Kurdish Democratic Union Party has refused to take sides in the Syrian civil war. Its vision, now realized, lay elsewhere.

Nevertheless, it is doubtful that the Syrian regime will reward Kurds for their relative impartiality during the civil war. Nor is it likely that the regime will reward them for limiting their goal to autonomy instead of independence.

The reason: Rojava sits atop Syria’s largest oil fields.

(James L Gelvin is Professor of Modern Middle Eastern History, University of California, Los Angeles)

(This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/turkish-attack-on-syria-endangers-a-remarkable-democratic-experiment-by-the-kurds-125105">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL) &nbsp; 
&nbsp;

By James L Gelvin Turkey’s attack on Kurdish-run territory in northern Syria will likely snuff out a radical experiment in self-government that is unlike anything I have seen in more than 30 years studying the Middle East.

By James L Gelvin Turkey’s attack on Kurdish-run territory in northern Syria will likely snuff out a radical experiment in self-government that is unlike anything I have seen in more than 30 years studying the Middle East. In a surprise October 6 statement, President Donald Trump announced the US would withdraw its troops from northern Syria. Approximately 1,000 American soldiers had been stationed in that region as a buffer separating Kurdish forces – who had been working with the Americans in the fight against the Islamic State – from Turkish troops. Turkey feared that the Syrian Kurds would link up with Turkey’s Kurdish minority who have demanded autonomy or independence. On October 9, the Turkish military began its assault, pummeling Kurdish-held territory with artillery and airstrikes. Kurds are rapidly evacuating the region and at least 24 people have been killed in northern Syria. Retaliatory strikes from Syria have killed civilians in southern Turkey. According to Turkish President Recep Erdogan, Turkey’s goal is to create a buffer zone separating Syria’s Kurds from the Turkish border. But his country’s attack will do much more than that. If successful, it will destroy the most full-fledged democracy the Middle East has yet to see. A different way to govern The Kurds call their autonomous region in Syria “Rojava,” meaning “the land where the sunsets.” Kurdish-led forces took possession of this swath of territory in northern and eastern Syria from direct Syrian government control in 2012. Then they successfully defended it against the Islamic State. Kurdish Syria is a small portion of a territory, known as Kurdistan, that includes parts of Turkey, Syria, Iraq and Iran. Kurdistan is home to approximately 25-35 million Kurds, a cultural and ethnic minority in the Middle East. The key to understanding the Rojava project, as those involved often refer to it, is the notion of “confederalism.” In this form of government, local units – in this case, Kurdistan’s “autonomous regions” – come together in a federation yet retain a great deal of autonomy. Because sovereign power belongs to the local units and not to a central government, Kurdish confederalism differs from an American-style federal system. The Kurds are so serious about devolving power to the local level that Rojava’s charter requires each of its three regions to have its own flag. And within each region, local elected councils are in charge. They organize garbage collection, adjudicate disputes and manage public health and safety. Confederalism sets the Kurds apart from almost every other government in the Middle East. Across the region, power is concentrated at the top. Syria’s president, Bashar al-Assad, is an authoritarian leader who has ruthlessly crushed his opponents in the country’s eight-year civil war. Egypt has a military government. Saudi Arabia has a king. But Rojava would be an exceptional society almost anywhere. Rojava’s charter guarantees freedom of expression and assembly and equality of all religious communities and languages. It mandates direct democracy, term limits and gender equality. Men and women share every position in government. Kurdish women have fought the Islamic State in Syria as soldiers in an all-female militia. In a region where religion and politics are often intertwined, the Kurdish state is secular. Religious leaders cannot serve in politics. Rojava’s charter even affirms the right of all citizens to a healthy environment. Surrounding countries, including Syria, also have constitutions with eloquent endorsements of political and human rights. In Rojava, however, the constitution is actually in effect. Syrian Kurds have realized the dream of the 2010-2011 pro-democracy uprisings across the Arab world. Rojava’s downsides Internal cleavages in Syria’s Kurdish community undermine the Rojava project – namely, the perpetual jockeying for power between rival Kurdish clans and the struggle for preeminence among Turkish, Syrian and Iraqi Kurds. The Kurds also have a troubled relationship with Syria’s Arabs and other groups. Beginning in the 1960s, the Syrian government began moving other populations to Kurdish territory to challenge Kurdish dominance there, sparking Kurdish resentment. The devastation wrought by the Islamic State – such as the mass murder of the Yazidis, a religious minority within the Kurdish community, and sexual enslavement of their women – further fueled this resentment. There have been numerous reports of Kurdish soldiers taking violent revenge against captured Islamic State members, alleged collaborators and even entire villages suspected of aiding the Islamic State enemy. The Kurdish region of Syria also has some politically problematic origins. The Syrian-Kurdish Democratic Union Party – Rojava’s leading political party – played an outsized role in the creation of Rojava. The party is affiliated with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, a far-left militant group that has fought against the Turkish government, first for the independence of Kurds from Turkey in the 1980s and 1990s, then – in the early 2000s – for their autonomy within Turkish borders. Many Kurds in Rojava consider PKK founder Abdullah Ocalan a national hero. It was Ocalan who came up with the idea of confederalism in the first place, back in 2005. But both Turkey and the United States consider the PKK to be a terrorist organization. The PKK is currently conducting an insurgency against the Turkish government. Danger ahead The Rojava project is now in imminent peril. Even if Turkey hadn’t launched its military offensive, Rojava would probably still have a tenuous future. The Syrian-Kurdish Democratic Union Party has refused to take sides in the Syrian civil war. Its vision, now realized, lay elsewhere. Nevertheless, it is doubtful that the Syrian regime will reward Kurds for their relative impartiality during the civil war. Nor is it likely that the regime will reward them for limiting their goal to autonomy instead of independence. The reason: Rojava sits atop Syria’s largest oil fields. (James L Gelvin is Professor of Modern Middle Eastern History, University of California, Los Angeles) (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)

Turkish attack on Syria endangers a remarkable democratic experiment by the Kurds

Turkey's Invasion Of Syria & Trump's Decision To Allow It Has Sparked Global Criticism.

Gravitas: World condemns Turkey's move to invade Syria

Thousands Of Civilians Flee After Turkey's Strikes In North East Syria.

Gravitas: Turkey targets Kurds in Syria: Key implications

Turkey's Pounds Kurdish Forces In Turkey-Syria Border As Tensions Escalate.

Gravitas: Turkey's military offensive in Syria: Has the U.S. allowed a genocide?

Turkey pounded Kurdish militia in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/turkey-faces-us-sanctions-from-hell-after-syria-kurd-assault-255061">northeast Syria</a> for a second day on Thursday, forcing tens of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/more-than-60000-displaced-by-turkey-assault-on-syria-monitor-255034">thousands of people to flee </a>and killing dozens, in a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/turkeys-military-operation-in-syria-what-does-ankara-wants-255040">cross-border assault</a> on US allies that has turned the Washington establishment against Donald Trump.

The Turkish offensive against the US-allied Syrian Democratic Forces, launched days after Trump pulled US troops out of the way, opens one of the biggest new fronts in years in an eight-year-old civil war that has drawn in global powers.

At least 23 fighters with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and six fighters with a Turkish-backed Syrian rebel group had been killed, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which monitors Syria's eight-year-old war.

Watch:

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/turkey-president-erdogan-speaks-on-syria-operation-254991/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The SDF said Turkish air strikes and shelling had also killed nine civilians. In an apparent attempt by Kurdish-led forces to retaliate, mortar fire from Syria killed three people including a child in the Turkish border town of Akcakale, hospital and security sources said.

The International Rescue Committee said 64,000 people in Syria have fled since the campaign began, the Observatory said. The towns of Ras al-Ain and Darbasiya, some 60 km (37 miles) to the east, have been largely deserted as a result of the attack.

The Observatory said Turkish forces had seized two villages near Ras al-Ain and five near the town of Tel Abyad.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan told members of his AK Party in Ankara that 109 militants had been killed so far. Kurds said they were resisting the assault.

According to a senior Turkish security official, the armed forces struck weapons and ammunition depots, gun and sniper positions, tunnels and military bases.

Jets flew operations up to 30 km (18 miles) into Syria. A Reuters journalist saw shells exploding just outside Tel Abyad.

"The operation is currently continuing with the involvement of all our units," Erdogan said in a speech.

Trump, who has faced rare criticism from senior figures in his own Republican Party who accuse him of deserting loyal U.S. allies, said on Twitter he was talking to "both sides". He warned Ankara it would be hit hard financially if it did not "play by the rules".

The SDF have been the main allies of US forces on the ground in the battle against Islamic State since 2014. They have been holding thousands of captured IS fighters and tens of thousands of their relatives in detention.

"SAFE ZONE"

NATO member Turkey has said it intends to create a "safe zone" for the return of millions of refugees to Syria.

But world powers fear the operation could intensify Syria's eight-year-old conflict, and runs the risk of Islamic State prisoners escaping from camps amid the chaos.

Erdogan sought to assuage those concerns, saying that militants from the jihadist group would not be allowed to rebuild a presence in the region.

Erdogan aimed at the European Union and Arab powers Saudi Arabia and Egypt which have voiced opposition to the operation.

"They are not honest, they just make up words," Erdogan said in a combative speech. "We, however, take action and that is the difference between us."

He threatened to permit Syrian refugees in Turkey to move to Europe if EU countries described his forces' move as an occupation. Turkey is hosting around 3.6 million people who have fled the conflict in Syria. 
Ankara brands the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia as terrorists because of their ties to militants who have waged an insurgency in Turkey. But many members of Congress, and US officials, credit the Kurds with fighting alongside American troops to defeat Islamic State militants.

"BAD IDEA"

The Kurdish-led authority in northern Syria said a prison that holds "the most dangerous criminals from more than 60 nationalities" had been struck by Turkish shelling, and Turkey's attacks on its prisons risked "a catastrophe".

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Turkey will be responsible only for Islamic State prisoners located within the safe zone it aims to form. Turkey would ask countries from which the prisoners came to take them back.

Trump has called the Turkish assault a "bad idea" and said he did not endorse it. He said he expected Turkey to protect civilians and religious minorities and prevent a humanitarian crisis.

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, usually a vocal Trump ally, has been one of the most outspoken critics of his decision to withdraw U.S. troops from northeastern Syria. He unveiled a framework for sanctions on Turkey with Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen.

Their proposed sanctions would target the assets of senior officials including Erdogan, mandate sanctions over Turkey's purchase of a Russian S-400 missile defence system and impose visa restrictions.

They also would sanction anyone who conducted military transactions with Turkey or supported energy production for use by its armed forces, apart from U.S. military assistance. The measure would require a report on Erdogan's net worth and assets.

The United Nations Security Council was due to meet on Thursday to discuss Syria at the request of the five European members: Britain, France, Germany, Belgium and Poland.

In a letter to the 15-member Council seen by Reuters, Turkey said its military operation would be "proportionate, measured and responsible". 
The 22-member Arab League said it would hold an emergency meeting on Saturday.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned Turkey's military incursion and cautioned about the possibility of ethnic cleansing.&nbsp; 
"Israel is prepared to extend humanitarian assistance to the gallant Kurdish people," he wrote on Twitter.

Russia said it planned to push for dialogue between the Syrian and Turkish governments following the incursion.

Turkey pounded Kurdish militia in northeast Syria for a second day on Thursday, forcing tens of thousands of people to flee and killing dozens, in a cross-border assault on US allies that has turned the Washington establishment against Donald Trump.

Turkey pounded Kurdish militia in northeast Syria for a second day on Thursday, forcing tens of thousands of people to flee and killing dozens, in a cross-border assault on US allies that has turned the Washington establishment against Donald Trump. The Turkish offensive against the US-allied Syrian Democratic Forces, launched days after Trump pulled US troops out of the way, opens one of the biggest new fronts in years in an eight-year-old civil war that has drawn in global powers. At least 23 fighters with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and six fighters with a Turkish-backed Syrian rebel group had been killed, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which monitors Syria's eight-year-old war. Watch: The SDF said Turkish air strikes and shelling had also killed nine civilians. In an apparent attempt by Kurdish-led forces to retaliate, mortar fire from Syria killed three people including a child in the Turkish border town of Akcakale, hospital and security sources said. The International Rescue Committee said 64,000 people in Syria have fled since the campaign began, the Observatory said. The towns of Ras al-Ain and Darbasiya, some 60 km (37 miles) to the east, have been largely deserted as a result of the attack. The Observatory said Turkish forces had seized two villages near Ras al-Ain and five near the town of Tel Abyad. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan told members of his AK Party in Ankara that 109 militants had been killed so far. Kurds said they were resisting the assault. According to a senior Turkish security official, the armed forces struck weapons and ammunition depots, gun and sniper positions, tunnels and military bases. Jets flew operations up to 30 km (18 miles) into Syria. A Reuters journalist saw shells exploding just outside Tel Abyad. "The operation is currently continuing with the involvement of all our units," Erdogan said in a speech. Trump, who has faced rare criticism from senior figures in his own Republican Party who accuse him of deserting loyal U.S. allies, said on Twitter he was talking to "both sides". He warned Ankara it would be hit hard financially if it did not "play by the rules". The SDF have been the main allies of US forces on the ground in the battle against Islamic State since 2014. They have been holding thousands of captured IS fighters and tens of thousands of their relatives in detention. "SAFE ZONE" NATO member Turkey has said it intends to create a "safe zone" for the return of millions of refugees to Syria. But world powers fear the operation could intensify Syria's eight-year-old conflict, and runs the risk of Islamic State prisoners escaping from camps amid the chaos. Erdogan sought to assuage those concerns, saying that militants from the jihadist group would not be allowed to rebuild a presence in the region. Erdogan aimed at the European Union and Arab powers Saudi Arabia and Egypt which have voiced opposition to the operation. "They are not honest, they just make up words," Erdogan said in a combative speech. "We, however, take action and that is the difference between us." He threatened to permit Syrian refugees in Turkey to move to Europe if EU countries described his forces' move as an occupation. Turkey is hosting around 3.6 million people who have fled the conflict in Syria. Ankara brands the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia as terrorists because of their ties to militants who have waged an insurgency in Turkey. But many members of Congress, and US officials, credit the Kurds with fighting alongside American troops to defeat Islamic State militants. "BAD IDEA" The Kurdish-led authority in northern Syria said a prison that holds "the most dangerous criminals from more than 60 nationalities" had been struck by Turkish shelling, and Turkey's attacks on its prisons risked "a catastrophe". Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Turkey will be responsible only for Islamic State prisoners located within the safe zone it aims to form. Turkey would ask countries from which the prisoners came to take them back. Trump has called the Turkish assault a "bad idea" and said he did not endorse it. He said he expected Turkey to protect civilians and religious minorities and prevent a humanitarian crisis. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, usually a vocal Trump ally, has been one of the most outspoken critics of his decision to withdraw U.S. troops from northeastern Syria. He unveiled a framework for sanctions on Turkey with Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen. Their proposed sanctions would target the assets of senior officials including Erdogan, mandate sanctions over Turkey's purchase of a Russian S-400 missile defence system and impose visa restrictions. They also would sanction anyone who conducted military transactions with Turkey or supported energy production for use by its armed forces, apart from U.S. military assistance. The measure would require a report on Erdogan's net worth and assets. The United Nations Security Council was due to meet on Thursday to discuss Syria at the request of the five European members: Britain, France, Germany, Belgium and Poland. In a letter to the 15-member Council seen by Reuters, Turkey said its military operation would be "proportionate, measured and responsible". The 22-member Arab League said it would hold an emergency meeting on Saturday. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned Turkey's military incursion and cautioned about the possibility of ethnic cleansing. "Israel is prepared to extend humanitarian assistance to the gallant Kurdish people," he wrote on Twitter. Russia said it planned to push for dialogue between the Syrian and Turkish governments following the incursion.

Thousands flee, dozens reported killed as Turkey pushes Syria assault

India has expressed its "deep concern" at the Turkish invasion of northern Syria, an area dominated by minority Kurds who Ankara blames for terrorism.

In a strong response by New Delhi, the ministry of external affairs said, the "unilateral military offensive by Turkey in north-east Syria..undermine stability in the region and the fight against terrorism."

The west Asian country's action has the "potential for causing humanitarian and civilian distress" and urged it to "exercise restraint and respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria."It called on Ankara to peaceful settle "all issues through dialogue and discussion," the MEA added.

The Syrian Ambassador to India Riad Abbas speaking to WION has welcomed New Delhi's statement

The statement by New Delhi comes on the back of Turkey backing Pakistan on Kashmir with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan even raising Kashmir from the United Nations General Assembly in New York in Kashmir.

Turkey, along with Malaysia and China are the only three countries who have reacted negatively on New Delhi's decision to remove a special status for the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir.

Meanwhile, Pakistan has welcomed the Turkish invasion of Syria.&nbsp;

Pakistan foreign office spokesperson said, "We appreciate Turkey’s positive role in finding a viable political solution to the conflict in Syria. We also acknowledge Turkey’s humanitarian efforts by graciously hosting over 3.5 million Syrian refugees. We recognize Turkey’s legitimate security concerns in the region. Like Pakistan, Turkey has also been a victim of terrorism."

"Pakistan has been and continues to support the territorial integrity of Syria and expresses the hope that a political solution to the Syrian conflict will be reached at the earliest, that takes into account concerns of all regional stakeholders and parties to the conflict," he added.

India has expressed its "deep concern" at the Turkish invasion of northern Syria, an area dominated by minority Kurds who Ankara blames for terrorism. In a strong response by New Delhi, the ministry of external affairs said, the "unilateral military offensive by Turkey in north-east Syria.

India has expressed its "deep concern" at the Turkish invasion of northern Syria, an area dominated by minority Kurds who Ankara blames for terrorism. In a strong response by New Delhi, the ministry of external affairs said, the "unilateral military offensive by Turkey in north-east Syria..undermine stability in the region and the fight against terrorism." The west Asian country's action has the "potential for causing humanitarian and civilian distress" and urged it to "exercise restraint and respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria."It called on Ankara to peaceful settle "all issues through dialogue and discussion," the MEA added. The Syrian Ambassador to India Riad Abbas speaking to WION has welcomed New Delhi's statement The statement by New Delhi comes on the back of Turkey backing Pakistan on Kashmir with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan even raising Kashmir from the United Nations General Assembly in New York in Kashmir. Turkey, along with Malaysia and China are the only three countries who have reacted negatively on New Delhi's decision to remove a special status for the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir. Meanwhile, Pakistan has welcomed the Turkish invasion of Syria. Pakistan foreign office spokesperson said, "We appreciate Turkey’s positive role in finding a viable political solution to the conflict in Syria. We also acknowledge Turkey’s humanitarian efforts by graciously hosting over 3.5 million Syrian refugees. We recognize Turkey’s legitimate security concerns in the region. Like Pakistan, Turkey has also been a victim of terrorism." "Pakistan has been and continues to support the territorial integrity of Syria and expresses the hope that a political solution to the Syrian conflict will be reached at the earliest, that takes into account concerns of all regional stakeholders and parties to the conflict," he added.

India expresses 'deep concern' over Turkish invasion of northern Syria; Pak lauds Ankara’s 'positive role'  

Turkey on Wednesday faced the threat of US "sanctions from hell" as its <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/turkeys-military-operation-in-syria-what-does-ankara-wants-255040">assault on Syrian Kurdish forces</a> set off a crisis with its NATO ally, although it might still be able to count on a sympathetic Donald Trump.

Turkey pounded Syria with jets and artillery and sent in troops three days after Trump told his counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan that he would <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/american-troops-to-withdraw-as-turkey-launches-syria-operation-white-house-254146">withdraw US troops</a> effectively serving as a buffer.

While Trump has long sought to extricate the United States from Syria's civil war, his decision triggered furious criticism from US lawmakers hoping to protect the Kurdish forces, who led the fight against the Islamic State group in the country.

A bipartisan group of senators introduced legislation that would freeze all US assets of Turkey's leadership, including Erdogan, and impose sanctions on entities that do business with Turkey's military until Ankara withdraws from Syria.

Lindsey Graham, a senior Republican senator who is usually a steadfast supporter of Trump, had warned Turkey of "sanctions from hell" if it went ahead with the invasion.

"Pray for our Kurdish allies who have been shamelessly abandoned by the Trump Administration. This move ensures the reemergence of ISIS," Graham wrote on Twitter, using an acronym for the Islamic State group.

Faced with harsh rebukes, the mogul-turned-president -- already under pressure in an impeachment inquiry -- has sent mixed messages and threatened at the White House Wednesday to "wipe out" Turkey's economy if Ankara's assault was not carried out "in as humane a way as possible."&nbsp;

"If (Erdogan) does it unfairly, he is going to pay a big economic price," Trump told reporters, adding that he'd "do far more than sanctions."

But he also distanced himself from Graham, saying that the hawkish senator "would like us to stay there for the next 200 years."

Democrats also roundly criticized Trump as abandoning allies, even though some agreed that US troops should leave.

"These sanctions will have immediate, far-reaching consequences for Erdogan and his military," said Senator Chris Van Hollen, a Democrat who teamed up with Graham.

Trump signaled tentative support for sanctions but could veto the legislation if it is approved, setting up a showdown with Congress.

Erdogan invested in Trump

Gonul Tol, director of the Turkey program at the Middle East Institute in Washington, said that Erdogan was looking primarily at domestic considerations, especially after his party's humiliating loss in Istanbul local elections.

Erdogan links the Kurdish fighters, who head the Syrian Democratic Forces, to separatist militants at home and brands them as "terrorists" -- and is also hoping to send back some of the 3.6 million Syrian refugees in Turkey.

If Congress goes ahead with sanctions, "this will mean a new low in Turkish-American relations, and that's going to be bad news for Erdogan as well because the economy matters a lot to him," Tol said.

With Trump known to break diplomatic norms, Erdogan likely sees the US leader as similar to him, with his every word becoming policy, Tol added.

"He has invested so much in the relationship with President Trump and has complete faith in their chemistry," she said.

"Obviously that's not a wise decision because it completely disregards the role that Congress and other institutions play."

Even before entering office, Trump enjoyed ties to Erdogan, Turkey's paramount leader since 2003. In a 2012 encounter drawing fresh scrutiny, the real estate tycoon's daughter Ivanka thanked Erdogan for attending the opening of Trump Towers Istanbul.

Sympathetic Trump in past

Erdogan has seen that Trump can push back against congressional anger in the past.&nbsp;

Turkey has faced limited repercussions, and Trump voiced understanding, after the NATO ally defied the United States to buy Russia's S-400 air defense system.

But Trump last year imposed tariffs that threw the Turkish lira into a tailspin as he successfully sought the release of Andrew Brunson, a US pastor whose detention in the Muslim-majority country made him a cause celebre among Trump's evangelical Christian base.

"President Trump has proven that he does not want to alienate Erdogan. But when he feels threatened or pushed, he could act otherwise," Tol said.

Erdogan "understands that the US can inflict a lot of damage on the Turkish economy. He has seen that," she said.

Nicholas Danforth, an expert on US-Turkey relations at the German Marshall Fund of the United States, said Erdogan feels he has a "good deal of leeway" due to Trump's ambiguous threats and past hesitation at sanctions.

"But we've also seen Trump change course dramatically," Danforth said.

"If Erdogan somehow crosses whatever hard-to-fathom red line exists in Trump's head, sanctions could come suddenly," he added. 
&nbsp;

Turkey on Wednesday faced the threat of US "sanctions from hell" as its assault on Syrian Kurdish forces set off a crisis with its NATO ally, although it might still be able to count on a sympathetic Donald Trump.

Turkey on Wednesday faced the threat of US "sanctions from hell" as its assault on Syrian Kurdish forces set off a crisis with its NATO ally, although it might still be able to count on a sympathetic Donald Trump. Turkey pounded Syria with jets and artillery and sent in troops three days after Trump told his counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan that he would withdraw US troops effectively serving as a buffer. While Trump has long sought to extricate the United States from Syria's civil war, his decision triggered furious criticism from US lawmakers hoping to protect the Kurdish forces, who led the fight against the Islamic State group in the country. A bipartisan group of senators introduced legislation that would freeze all US assets of Turkey's leadership, including Erdogan, and impose sanctions on entities that do business with Turkey's military until Ankara withdraws from Syria. Lindsey Graham, a senior Republican senator who is usually a steadfast supporter of Trump, had warned Turkey of "sanctions from hell" if it went ahead with the invasion. "Pray for our Kurdish allies who have been shamelessly abandoned by the Trump Administration. This move ensures the reemergence of ISIS," Graham wrote on Twitter, using an acronym for the Islamic State group. Faced with harsh rebukes, the mogul-turned-president -- already under pressure in an impeachment inquiry -- has sent mixed messages and threatened at the White House Wednesday to "wipe out" Turkey's economy if Ankara's assault was not carried out "in as humane a way as possible." "If (Erdogan) does it unfairly, he is going to pay a big economic price," Trump told reporters, adding that he'd "do far more than sanctions." But he also distanced himself from Graham, saying that the hawkish senator "would like us to stay there for the next 200 years." Democrats also roundly criticized Trump as abandoning allies, even though some agreed that US troops should leave. "These sanctions will have immediate, far-reaching consequences for Erdogan and his military," said Senator Chris Van Hollen, a Democrat who teamed up with Graham. Trump signaled tentative support for sanctions but could veto the legislation if it is approved, setting up a showdown with Congress. Erdogan invested in Trump Gonul Tol, director of the Turkey program at the Middle East Institute in Washington, said that Erdogan was looking primarily at domestic considerations, especially after his party's humiliating loss in Istanbul local elections. Erdogan links the Kurdish fighters, who head the Syrian Democratic Forces, to separatist militants at home and brands them as "terrorists" -- and is also hoping to send back some of the 3.6 million Syrian refugees in Turkey. If Congress goes ahead with sanctions, "this will mean a new low in Turkish-American relations, and that's going to be bad news for Erdogan as well because the economy matters a lot to him," Tol said. With Trump known to break diplomatic norms, Erdogan likely sees the US leader as similar to him, with his every word becoming policy, Tol added. "He has invested so much in the relationship with President Trump and has complete faith in their chemistry," she said. "Obviously that's not a wise decision because it completely disregards the role that Congress and other institutions play." Even before entering office, Trump enjoyed ties to Erdogan, Turkey's paramount leader since 2003. In a 2012 encounter drawing fresh scrutiny, the real estate tycoon's daughter Ivanka thanked Erdogan for attending the opening of Trump Towers Istanbul. Sympathetic Trump in past Erdogan has seen that Trump can push back against congressional anger in the past. Turkey has faced limited repercussions, and Trump voiced understanding, after the NATO ally defied the United States to buy Russia's S-400 air defense system. But Trump last year imposed tariffs that threw the Turkish lira into a tailspin as he successfully sought the release of Andrew Brunson, a US pastor whose detention in the Muslim-majority country made him a cause celebre among Trump's evangelical Christian base. "President Trump has proven that he does not want to alienate Erdogan. But when he feels threatened or pushed, he could act otherwise," Tol said. Erdogan "understands that the US can inflict a lot of damage on the Turkish economy. He has seen that," she said. Nicholas Danforth, an expert on US-Turkey relations at the German Marshall Fund of the United States, said Erdogan feels he has a "good deal of leeway" due to Trump's ambiguous threats and past hesitation at sanctions. "But we've also seen Trump change course dramatically," Danforth said. "If Erdogan somehow crosses whatever hard-to-fathom red line exists in Trump's head, sanctions could come suddenly," he added.

Turkey faces US 'sanctions from hell' after Syria Kurd assault

Turkish troops and their Syrian rebel allies attacked Kurdish militia in northeast Syria on Wednesday, pounding them with airstrikes and artillery before starting a cross-border ground operation that could transform an eight-year-old war. Here's a ground report from Turkey Syria Border by Shamim Chowdhury, Correspondent, TRT world

Syria-Turkey Conflict: Ground Report from Turkey Syria Border

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