SANJAK SAADOUN: In accordance with the deal signed in  Sochi last week Kurd-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) are redeploying to new positions away from the Turkish-Syrian border.

On Sunday (27th of October, 2019) SDF spokesman Mustefa Bali stated that Kurdish fighters were withdrawing from border positions and will redeploy positions around 30 kilometers away from the frontier. The statement further held that Syrian border guards affiliated with the central government would deploy along the entire length of Syria’s border with Turkey.

It is pertinent to mention here that last Tuesday Russia and Turkey signed a deal according to which Russian military police and Syrian border guards will facilitate the removal of Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) from within 30 kilometers of the border. The pullout has been welcomed by the Damascus government which according to it is being carried out in coordination with the Syrian army.

The Turkey-Russia agreement was reached after extensive talks between President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and President Vladimir Putin in the Black Sea resort of Sochi on Tuesday. The deal follows the decision by US President Donald Trump to withdraw US troops who were allied with Kurdish forces that bore the brunt of the fight against the militant Islamic State group in Syria. In a statement on Sunday, the SDF said it had accepted the deal. Russian military police conducted the first patrols on Wednesday.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor has also confirmed that Kurdish-led SDF started pulling out of some areas at the eastern end of the border on Thursday. On Sunday SDF military vehicles were noticed carrying personnel and heavy artillery heading south. The convoy was travelling on a road that connects Amuda to the city of Hasakeh, where Kurdish fighters are present. Sources further confirmed that at-least forty-five vehicles withdrew from here.