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Turkey may resume Syria assault as some Kurdish fighters yet to withdraw: Erdogan
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-syria-security/turkey-may-resume-syria-assault-as-some-kurdish-fighters-yet-to-withdraw-erdogan-idUSKBN1X10ZE
OCTOBER 22, 2019 / 5:29 AM / UPDATED 44 MINUTES AGO
Darya Korsunskaya, Tuvan Gumrukcu
SOCHI, Russia/ANKARA (Reuters) - Hundreds of Kurdish fighters remain near to Syria’s northeast border despite a U.S.-brokered truce demanding their withdrawal and Turkey could resume its offensive in the area when the ceasefire expires, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said.
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan talks during a news conference at Esenboga International Airport in Ankara, Turkey, October 22, 2019. Murat Kula/Presidential Press Office/Handout via REUTERS
The five-day truce in Turkey’s cross-border offensive to allow the withdrawal of Kurdish YPG fighters from the border area ends at 10 pm (1900 GMT) on Tuesday.
Turkey says Kurdish YPG militia forces, which it views as terrorists because of their links to Kurdish militants waging an insurgency in southeast Turkey, must leave a “safe zone” it wants to establish inside Syria.
“The withdrawal is continuing,” Erdogan told reporters at Ankara airport before flying to Russia for talks on Syria with President Vladimir Putin, who supports the Damascus government and has also sent troops to northeast Syria.
“We are talking about 700-800 (YPG fighters) already withdrawn and the rest, around 1,200-1,300, are continuing to withdraw. It has been said that they will withdraw,” Erdogan said. “All will have to get out, the process will not end before they are out.”
</snip>
OCTOBER 22, 2019 / 5:29 AM / UPDATED 44 MINUTES AGO
Darya Korsunskaya, Tuvan Gumrukcu
SOCHI, Russia/ANKARA (Reuters) - Hundreds of Kurdish fighters remain near to Syria’s northeast border despite a U.S.-brokered truce demanding their withdrawal and Turkey could resume its offensive in the area when the ceasefire expires, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said.
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan talks during a news conference at Esenboga International Airport in Ankara, Turkey, October 22, 2019. Murat Kula/Presidential Press Office/Handout via REUTERS
The five-day truce in Turkey’s cross-border offensive to allow the withdrawal of Kurdish YPG fighters from the border area ends at 10 pm (1900 GMT) on Tuesday.
Turkey says Kurdish YPG militia forces, which it views as terrorists because of their links to Kurdish militants waging an insurgency in southeast Turkey, must leave a “safe zone” it wants to establish inside Syria.
“The withdrawal is continuing,” Erdogan told reporters at Ankara airport before flying to Russia for talks on Syria with President Vladimir Putin, who supports the Damascus government and has also sent troops to northeast Syria.
“We are talking about 700-800 (YPG fighters) already withdrawn and the rest, around 1,200-1,300, are continuing to withdraw. It has been said that they will withdraw,” Erdogan said. “All will have to get out, the process will not end before they are out.”
</snip>
