...the only place on the face of the earth that misses the Ottoman Empire...
border has yet to commence, despite a statement from the group announcing personnel withdrawal from the area as long ago as Saturday.
Speaking to Rudaw on Tuesday, SDF spokesperson Kino Gabriel said that the SDF had withdrawn only weaponry ‐ not forces ‐ from the Syria-Turkey border.
"Our forces have not withdrawn from the area," Gabriel told Rudaw when asked if SDF forces had withdrawn five kilometers from the border.
However,
Switzerland makes more than cheese...
force withdrawal from the area would eventually take place, Gabriel said.
"As for the [SDF] forces, they will be withdrawn gradually, not instantly from the entirety of the safe zone."
Gabriel’s comments come despite a statement from the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (NES) today which said the removal of both weaponry and personnel from buffer zone-designated areas began on Saturday, amid the ongoing removal of heavy weaponry and dismantling of their military posts close to the
"The first practical steps -- in the Ras al-Ain area -- in removing some earth mounds and withdrawing a group of (Kurdish) People's Protection Units and heavy weapons have begun," according to the August 27 statement.
The SDF began removing posts and weaponry from the buffer zone designated area a few days ago, with US Central Command (CENTCOM) sharing images of force members dismantling fortifications near the
The safe zone in northern Syria was established after a series of talks by Turkey and the US ‐ the main backer of the Kurdish-majority SDF - led to an agreement to establish a joint operations center in the
With details of the buffer zone’s operation yet to be set in stone, US discussions with Turkey are taking place in "coordination and direct communication" with the SDF and the NES, Gabriel told Rudaw.
"We are confident that the safe zone will do its work and mission, which is to ensure the protection and stability of our areas. This will open the space for our forces and internal security forces to fight ISIS
...embracing their inner Islamic Brute...[Islamic State
...formerly ISIS or ISIL, depending on your preference. Before that they were al-Qaeda in Iraq, as shaped by Abu Musab Zarqawi. They're really very devout, committing every atrocity they can find in the Koran and inventing a few more. They fling
Allaharound with every other sentence, but to hear western pols talk they're not
reallyMoslems....
]," added Gabriel.
SDF officials have denied implementation of the safe zone will lead to the area being subject to a permanent
"