Syrian troops enter towns in northeast as Erdogan warns of wider offensive
Source: Washington Post
ISTANBUL — Forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad took up positions Monday in several key towns across northeastern Syria, state media and war monitoring group reported, following a last-minute agreement with local Kurdish fighters to ward off a Turkish offensive.
Syrian troops reportedly arrived in Ain Issa and Tabqa — on the outskirts of Raqqa — and raised the Syrian flag over government buildings in major cities such as Qamishli and Hasakeh, according to pro-government media. One report, in al-Watan newspaper, said government forces had reached the towns of Kobane, a garrison for Syrian Kurdish militants, and Manbij, where U.S. troops had been stationed.
The return of Assad’s forces to northeastern Syria marks a stunning reversal for Syrian Kurdish authorities, whose fighters controlled a wide swath of territory and enjoyed U.S. support in their battle against the Islamic State.
Turkey views the Syrian Kurdish militias as terrorists and launched its offensive against the fighters — known as the Syrian Democratic Forces, or SDF — last week. The operation has helped unravel the U.S. mission in northern Syria, prompting President Trump to order the withdrawal of all U.S. troops in the coming weeks.
Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/syrian-troops-enter-towns-in-northeast-as-erdogan-warns-of-wider-offensive/2019/10/14/3fe2c420-ee06-11e9-bb7e-d2026ee0c199_story.html
