Turkish troops search for the land mines and self-made bombs deployed by Syrian Kurdish forces, after taking over the previously Kurdish-controlled border city of Tell Abyad, on Oct. 18, 2019. (Xinhua)
Turkey and Syrian Kurdish forces trade accusations over each other's violation of the U.S.-Turkey truce deal that will halt the Turkish military offensive in northern Syria for five days.
ANKARA, Oct. 19 (Xinhua) -- Turkey on Saturday accused Syrian Kurdish militia of violating a cease-fire agreement reached by the United States and Turkey to halt the latter's offensive in northern Syria.
In the last 36 hours, a total of 14 harassment/attacks were carried out by "the PKK/YPG terrorists," 12 of which were in Ras al-Ain, one in Tal Abyad and one in Tal Tamir, the Turkish Defense Ministry said in a written statement.
It was referring to the Kurdish militia known as the People's Protection Units (YPG) regarded by Ankara as the Syrian branch of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) in Turkey.
"Harassment and attacks" were carried out by various light and heavy weapons, including mortars, rockets and others, the ministry said, while insisting that Turkish armed forces "fully comply" with the truce deal.
"In order to realize the deal and to maintain the calm except for self-defense, instant coordination is made with the United States," the ministry added.
The U.S. and Turkey on Thursday reached an agreement on imposing a five-day truce to build a safe zone in northern Syria, where the Turkish forces had been fighting against the Kurdish militia.
Earlier on Friday, Kurdish forces urged the U.S. and international organizations, such as the United Nations and Arab League, to send observers to monitor the truce, citing Turkey's violation of the truce deal.
The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) said in a statement that Turkish forces attacked the town of Bad al-Kheir in the countryside of Ayn al-Ayn city in northeastern Syria, killing five Kurdish fighters and a number of civilians.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday that Turkey expected the Kurdish militia to leave within 120 hours the safe zone to be established by Ankara in northern Syria.
"The YPG should leave the area which we have designated as a safe zone," Erdogan told reporters in Istanbul, vowing that the planned safe zone shall extend 32 km in depth and 444 km in length.
"But we will see what will be the case in practice," he said, affirming that Turkish forces will not withdraw from the region as part of the deal with the U.S. on Thursday following talks with U.S. Vice President Mike Pence in the Turkish capital Ankara. ■
