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WORLD NEWS Saturday 29 december 2018

Syria claims it has entered key Kurdish-held town

By SARAH EL DEEB gan told reporters.
Associated Press In Washington, Republican
BEIRUT (AP) — Syria’s mili- Sen. Lindsey Graham, who
tary said Friday it had en- broke with U.S. President
tered the key Kurdish-held Donald Trump on his deci-
town of Manbij in an ap- sion to withdraw U.S. troops
parent deal with the Kurds, from Syria, tweeted that
who are looking for new al- reports about the Kurds
lies and protection against aligning with Assad were
a threatened Turkish offen- a “major disaster in the
sive as U.S. troops prepare making.” Graham, a lead-
to leave Syria. ing voice on foreign policy
Turkey and American and national security issues
troops patrolling the town in Congress, warned the
denied there was any development would be a
change of forces in the “nightmare for Turkey and
contested area, contra- eventually Israel.” Graham
dicting the Syrians and tweeted that the “big win-
highlighting the potential ners” are Russia, Iran, Assad
for chaos in the wake of and Islamic State militants.
last week’s surprise pro- National Security Adviser
nouncement by the United John Bolton is expected in
States that it was withdraw- Turkey after the new year.
ing its troops. In this March 29, 2018 photo, a Syrian student walks next a wall with Arabic that reads: “We will not Friday’s announcement by
Since the U.S. announce- emigrate we will confront, no to the Turkish occupation,” in Manbij, north Syria. the Syrian military comes
ment, forces have been Associated Press as Turkey and allied Syrian
building up around Manbij who said they had moved ment to deploy where U.S. ing their front line positions fighters have been send-
and further east, ushering into Manbij and raised the forces leave. ahead of the possible mili- ing in reinforcement to the
in new alliances and rais- Syrian flag in the town. The Turkey’s President Recep tary offensive. front lines and threatening
ing the chances for fric- Kurdish militia said it has Tayyip Erdogan said the But Erdogan also noted an offensive to dislodge
tion. The Kurds’ invitation to invited the Syrian govern- Syrian government move that his country’s goal is to the Kurdish forces. In re-
Syrian troops shows they’d ment to take control of was “a psychological act,” oust the Kurdish militia from sponse, the U.S. first warned
rather let Syria’s Russian- Manbij to protect it against and the situation in Manbij along his country’s bor- against unilateral action
and Iranian-backed gov- “a Turkish invasion.” was uncertain. He spoke ders. “If terror organizations and increased patrols and
ernment fill the void left by But a Kurdish official said as Turkey-allied forces in leave, then there is no work observation points in north-
the Americans, than face the government deploy- Syria said they were fortify- left for us anyway,” Erdo- eastern Syria.q
the prospect of being over- ment has so far been lim-
whelmed by their top rival ited to the front line with
Turkey. Turkey-backed fighters,
Meanwhile, a flurry of based north and west
meetings is expected in the Manbij. And U.S. officials
coming days as all sides of in Washington said Syrian
the conflict scramble to regime forces and some
find ways to replace the Russian forces had moved
departing U.S. troops. They a bit closer to the city and
include one Saturday in were largely south or south-
Moscow, where Russia will west of the city. The offi-
host top Turkish officials cials spoke anonymously
in a possible sign that the because they were not
two sides could be work- authorized to discuss the
ing on a deal to avert a troop movements publicly.
Turkish offensive into Syria. The U.S.-led coalition said
Russians officials have said the announcement that
they expect Syrian govern- government troops had
ment troops to replace the entered the town was “in-
U.S. troops when they with- correct,” and called “on
draw. everyone to respect the
Turkey considers the U.S.- integrity of Manbij and the
backed Kurdish People’s safety of its citizens.”
Protection Units, which now Russia and Iran, mean-
controls nearly 30 percent while, welcomed the Syri-
of Syria, a terrorist group an announcement. Kremlin
linked to an insurgency spokesman Dmitry Peskov
within its own borders. called it a “positive step”
Kurdish-controlled Manbij that could help stabilize
has been at the center of the area. Iran hailed it as a
rising tension between the “major step toward estab-
U.S. and Turkey. lishing the government’s
There were conflicting re- authority” over all of Syria.
ports Friday on the loca- Russia has signaled it ex-
tion of the Syrian troops, pects the Syrian govern-