Page 9 - ARUBA TODAY

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WORLD NEWS Monday 24 deceMber 2018

Turkey masses troops near Kurdish-held Syrian town

By SARAH EL DEEB and the Kurds didn’t live Trump’s decision to pull
ZEYNEP BILGINSOY up to their end of the deal U.S. troops out of Syria and
Associated Press and that it would start an warned it could have dan-
BEIRUT (AP) — Turkey is offensive in eastern Syria gerous consequences.
massing troops near a town to drive out the militia. Tur- Macron showered praise
in northern Syria held by a key already has troops in on U.S. Defense Secretary
U.S.-backed and Kurdish- northwestern Syria and Jim Mattis, who quit in the
led force, a war monitor has backed Syrian fighters wake of Trump’s unexpect-
said as Turkish media re- there to clear towns and ed move. “An ally should
ported Sunday new rein- villages of IS militants and be reliable, coordinate
forcements crossing the Kurdish fighters. with other allies. Mattis un-
borders. After Trump’s decision, Er- derstood this,” Macron said
The Turkish buildup comes dogan said he would delay during a trip to Chad.
even though Turkey said the eastern Syria offensive Macron said that the troop
it would delay a promised and would work on plans to withdrawal endangers
offensive in eastern Syria clear out IS from the region. Kurdish fighters, who were
in the wake of President Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan addresses a meeting Youssef Hammoud, spokes- instrumental in the U.S-led
Donald Trump’s decision of a youth organisation founded by his elder son Bilal Erdogan man for the Syrian opposi- coalition’s fight against IS
this week to withdraw U.S. and his friends, in Istanbul Saturday, Dec. 22, 2018. tion fighters, accused the militants.
troops. Associated Press Kurdish militia of reaching “We should not forget ...
Trump tweeted on Sunday The Turkish IHA news agen- Manbij patrolled the town out to the Syrian govern- what we owe to those
that he had a “long and cy reported that a convoy and surrounding area on ment to replace U.S. troops who died on the ground
productive” call with Turk- of Turkish troops — a com- Sunday and were photo- if they withdraw. fighting terrorism,” he said,
ish leader Recep Tayyip mando unit — had been graphed speaking with the Darwish dismissed the referring to the SDF. “The
Erdogan in which they dis- sent into Syria overnight. residents. claims as “untrue,” calling SDF is fighting against the
cussed “the slow & highly The Syrian Observatory for Turkey has welcomed them “old accusations” terrorism that fomented
coordinated” pullout of U.S. Human Rights said the re- Trump’s decision. Ankara from the rival Syrian groups. attacks against Paris and
troops from the area. This is inforcements were sent views the Kurdish-led Syrian Also Sunday, French Presi- elsewhere ... I call on every-
the two leaders’ second to the front line with Man- Democratic Forces as an dent Emmanuel Macron one not to forget what they
phone conversation in 10 bij, where U.S. troops have extension of the insurgency said he “deeply regrets” have done.”q
days. U.S. military officials been based. The Obser- within its borders. Turkey’s
are scrambling to come vatory said 50 vehicles President Recep Tayyip Er-
up with a schedule for the crossed into Syria — carry- dogan has vowed to dis-
withdrawal of an estimated ing troops and equipment. lodge the Kurdish fighters
2,000 troops. A Turkish military official, from along its border with
A statement from the Turk- speaking on condition of Syria.
ish presidency said the two anonymity in line with gov- The U.S. has since 2014
leaders agreed to coordi- ernment protocol, said partnered with the Syrian
nate militarily and diplo- the military reinforcements Kurdish militia to drive out
matically to ensure the U.S. were dispatched to the ar- the Islamic State group,
pullout from Syria does not eas administered by Turkey a partnership that soured
lead to an “authority vac- in northern Syria, without relations between Ankara
uum.” elaborating. and Washington.
Trump’s decision, an- The spokesman for the Allaying some of Turkey’s
nounced last week after a Kurdish-led Manbij Military fears was a deal reached in
call with Erdogan, surprised Council, Sharfan Darwish, June over Manbij. Accord-
his allies and own experts, said Turkish reinforcements ing to the deal, the Kurd-
sparking the resignation have arrived in the area. ish militia would withdraw
of two of his top aides. He “We are taking necessary from Manbij and U.S. and
had asked for an immedi- measures to defend our- Turkish troops would patrol
ate withdrawal, but experts selves if we are attacked,” the area as a new adminis-
convinced him that they he said without elaborat- tration for the mixed Arab-
needed time to work out a ing. Kurdish town is elected.
timetable. U.S. troops based around But Ankara says the U.S.