Russia confirms YPG/PKK terrorists have left Syria border area - Erdogan

Turkish-Russian joint patrols will verify whether the terrorist group has withdrawn from a proposed safe zone in northern Syria.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan addresses a gathering at the 96th Anniversary of the Republic Day at the Bestepe National Congress and Culture Center in Ankara, Turkey on October 29, 2019.
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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan addresses a gathering at the 96th Anniversary of the Republic Day at the Bestepe National Congress and Culture Center in Ankara, Turkey on October 29, 2019.

Russia has informed Turkey that YPG/PKK terrorists in Syria have completed their withdrawal from areas near the border, in accordance with a deal agreed between Ankara and Moscow, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday.

"Russia informed our competent authorities of the terror groups' complete withdrawal from there," Erdogan said in a televised speech in Ankara marking Turkey's Republic Day.

"The 120-hour agreement with the US and the 150-hour agreement with Russia that we made ended. We will have talks tomorrow," he added.

That deadline expired at 1500 GMT on Tuesday.

Erdogan said that apart from Turkey, everyone who is interested in Syria has a primary goal of controlling oil resources. 

"A primitive understanding that considers a drop of oil more valuable than a drop of blood, is blatantly obvious," he said.

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On October 9, Turkey launched Operation Peace Spring to eliminate terrorists from northern Syria east of the Euphrates River in order to secure Turkey's borders, aid in the safe return of Syrian refugees, and ensure Syria's territorial integrity.

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(From left) Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu attend a press conference on a meeting of the Syria constitution-writing committee on October 29, 2019 at the United Nations Offices in Geneva.

'We believe Russia but cannot trust terrorists' – Cavusoglu

Turkey's Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Tuesday that Turkey believes its Russian partners over the withdrawal of YPG from the region, but cannot trust terrorists.

"Russia informed us PKK/YPG elements left. We have to believe our Russian partners but we cannot trust terrorists," Cavusoglu said at a press conference with his Russian and Iranian counterparts in Geneva.

Touching on the Syria Constitutional Committee meetings that will start tomorrow, he said that the launch of talks for a new Syria constitution is a huge step forward.

Turkey rejects US lawmakers' backing of sanctions 

Turkey has condemned adoption of draft law in US House of Representatives that foresees sanctions against Turkey over its anti-terror operation in Syria, Turkey's foreign ministry said. 

US move on sanctions is not fitting of NATO alliance and the October 17 deal with the US under which Turkey paused its Operation Peace Spring in northern Syria, the ministry said.

Turkish foreign ministry called on the US administration to avoid taking steps that will further damage bilateral ties.

Joint patrols 

Turkish-Russian joint patrols will verify whether the terrorist group has withdrawn from a proposed safe zone in northern Syria, a senior Turkish official said.

"The time is up," Fahrettin Altun, Turkey's communications director, wrote on Twitter. 

"We will establish, through joint patrols, whether or not the terrorists have actually withdrawn," he said, referring to the YPG/PKK militants.

Russia earlier said that the terrorist group in northern Syria had withdrawn as planned.

"The withdrawal of armed units from territory where a security corridor should be created has been completed ahead of time," Russian news agencies quoted Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu as saying on a visit to Armenia.

The patrols were to be in two zones stretching 10 kilometres to the east and west of the area of Turkey's current Operation Peace Spring.

YPG is a terror group linked to the PKK, which has waged a bloody terror campaign against the Turkish state since 1984.

The PKK is designated a terrorist group by Turkey, the US and the EU.

The Turkish military, together with its allies in Syria, launched an operation on October 9 to clear YPG terrorists from areas near its border and create a safe zone to repatriate some of the 3.6 million Syrian refugees currently in Turkey.

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