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The Turkish army on Thursday completed its 13th round of patrols in the northern Syrian city of Manbij as part of a deal with the U.S. to rid the area of the terror group YPG/PKK.
In a message posted Twitter, the Turkish General Staff said both countries' forces conducted separate coordinated patrols in the region between areas liberated by Turkey's Operation Euphrates Shield and Manbij.
The first patrols by Turkish and U.S. troops in the region began on June 18.
Residents in the northern Syrian city of Manbij have told Anadolu Agency they want Turkish troops to clear their land of YPG/PKK terrorists.The Turkish military recently completed its 10th round of patrolling in the city.Displaced by YPG/PKK terrorist group in Syria's north, people of Manbij said they long for the day to return to their homes after Turkish troops took control of the strategic district.PKK conducts series of attacks as US-Turkey deal in Manbij comes into forceSpeaking to Anadolu Agency, Um Abdullah, who fled to Turkey after the terror group invaded their lands in Manbij, said they left their homes after facing oppression by terrorists."They forcefully armed our children. This is our homeland. The so-called government is not ours," Um Abdullah said.She said Manbij will never be free as long as terrorists exist.Turkey neutralizes over 4,500 terrorists in Afrin: Army"They [the YPG/PKK] are harassing the people. They bother our children and daughters. We went to Syria from Turkey during Eid. We saw our family in Manbij but now we are returning back to Turkey."We want to freely live in Manbij and want Turkey to eliminate our homeland from terrorists," she said.Another local from Manbij Ahmed Muhammed Horan said: "Turkey has always been on our side. We were forced to flee to Turkey. We came to our lands during Eid to visit our families after a very long time.Turkey, US agree on clearing Syrian regions of PKK"We were able to see them with the help of Turkish soldiers and the Free Syrian Army. We long for Turkish army to eliminate terrorists from Manbij."Mahmoud Nour, a member of the national army linked to the Free Syrian Army, said people will be able to return to their own lands once the terrorists are eliminated from Manbij.Turkey and the U.S. have set a three-month timetable to complete tasks they agreed in a deal on Syria's Manbij, a Turkish government spokesman said in mid-June.The Manbij deal focuses on the withdrawal of the PKK-affiliated YPG terror group from the northern Syrian city and stability in the region.
People of Manbij long for Turkey's intervention
The Manbij deal between Turkey and the U.S. focuses on the withdrawal of the PKK-affiliated YPG terror group from the city in order to stabilize the region.
In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK has taken some 40,000 lives, including many women and children. The YPG/PKK is its Syrian branch.
Should the Manbij model prove a success, Turkey will push for a similar arrangement in eastern Syria.
Turkey has said the presence of terror forces near its border constitutes a threat and has launched military operations and other efforts to rid the region of terrorists.
Turkey and the U.S. agree that other Syrian regions will be rid of PKK/YPG terrorists after the northern city of Manbij is cleared, Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoglu said on Friday.Speaking at Anadolu Agency’s Editors' Desk, Cavusoglu said: “There is a clear statement on our roadmap [with U.S.] that we will move on to other areas after Manbij [has been cleared of PKK/YPG terrorists].“These were discussed and evaluated in our working group meetings and we reached a consensus on this subject.”The roadmap was announced last month after a meeting in Washington between Cavusoglu and U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. The deal focuses on the withdrawal of the PKK-affiliated YPG terror group from Manbij and bringing stability to the region.About the Turkish army patrols in Manbij, Cavusoglu said the withdrawal of YPG/PKK from patrol areas in Manbij did not mean it had completely withdrawn from the area. On Wednesday, the Turkish military completed its ninth round of patrols in Manbij as part of a deal with the U.S. to rid the area of the YPG/PKK terror group.On its Twitter account, the Turkish General Staff said both countries' forces conducted separate coordinated patrols in the area between Manbij and the area previously cleared during Turkey’s Operation Euphrates Shield. The first patrols by Turkish and U.S. troops in the region began on June 18.In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK has taken some 40,000 lives, including those of women and children. The YPG/PKK is its Syrian branch.Referring to the recent counter-terrorism operations in northern Iraq, Cavusoglu said: “Our cooperation will further strengthen after a government is established in Iraq and we will do what is necessary for PKK terror group to be cleared from Iraqi territories.”Turkish army conducts 10th round of patrols in ManbijOnce Manbij is cleared of PKK/YPG, eastern Euphrates to follow: Turkish FMFight against FETOEarly June, Turkish Armed Forces launched fresh counter-terrorism operations in northern Iraq's Qandil Mountain region, a known PKK stronghold.About the fight against Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), Cavusoglu said: “We will see how seriously they [U.S.] will take it after everything is put on the table. The U.S. should not lose its ally like Turkey.”Urging the U.S. to give up its “wrong policies” against Ankara, he urged the Washington administration to fulfill Turkey’s demands against FETO. According to the Turkish government, FETO and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016, which left 251 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured.Ankara also accuses FETO of being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police and judiciary.About how bilateral ties might get affected if the U.S. imposes sanctions on Turkey due to its S-400 purchase, the foreign minister said: "The U.S. administration will make the decision. The administration does not want to harm relations with Turkey."Especially, [Donald] Trump himself does not want to harm relations with Turkey. He, in real terms, respects our Mr. President.”Under an accelerated timetable for the S-400 deal, Russia's first deliveries of the advanced anti-aircraft missile system to Turkey are due in late 2019 or early 2020.About Turkish-Israeli relations, Cavusoglu said Israel was maintaining an aggressive attitude towards Turkey.Relations with Israel“Israeli should cease its wrong policies and merciless cruelty, which is incompatible with humanity, in order to normalize our relations with Israel in real terms,” he said.On Turkish national Ebru Ozkan’s arrest in Tel Aviv, Cavusoglu said: “They [Israel] have been taking steps to deter our citizens from visiting Jerusalem. We will respond to this.” An Israeli military court on Tuesday extended the detention of Ozkan, who had been under arrest since June 11 for alleged links with terrorist groups, the lawyer said.On U.S. withdrawal from Iran nuclear deal, Cavusoglu said: “We don’t find the U.S. decisions on sanctions on Iran right.”In May, Trump withdrew the U.S. from the nuclear deal, which was signed in 2015 between Iran and the P5 1 group of nations (the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany). The deal placed restrictions on Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for billions of dollars in sanctions relief.He said Iran should not be forced into a corner since it would be "dangerous and risky”.Cavusoglu added the U.S. decision against Iran had been taken upon Israeli demand and had no justification.Also, on Austria’s taking over of the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union from Bulgaria on July 1, the foreign minister said: “We also do not expect Austria to take a radical decision.”Austria assumed the presidency for the third time after its terms in 1998 and 2006.
Turkey, US agree on clearing Syrian regions of PKK