https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/t...rder-kz3mg8stj
Turkish troops occupy buffer zone on Syrian border
Turkish troops are preparing to enter a strip of northern
Syria currently controlled by Kurdish forces to patrol a buffer zone set up under an agreement with the US.
The so-called “safe zone”, which will stretch 500 miles along Syria’s frontier with Turkey, will put distance between Turkish soil and a Kurdish militia that Ankara regards as a terrorist group. The area where Turkish soldiers will be present will extend from the border up to three miles inside Syria, according to a report on the Turkish news channel HaberTurk. Beyond that will be a second strip of seven miles where only US soldiers will patrol, followed by a further 2.5 miles cleared of the Kurds’ heavy weaponry.
The Turkish-patrolled strip will be far narrower than the 20 miles originally demanded by President Erdogan. Nonetheless, it will double the Turkish army’s area of operations inside the warzone. The deal was struck earlier this month following threats from Ankara of a military offensive fand frantic diplomacy on the part of the US, which is supporting the Kurdish YPG. It has averted a crisis which could have seen Turkish troops clashing with American forces.......
Turkey already controls two zones in northern Syria covering a total area of about 1,500 square miles, which it seized in military operations against Isis, in late 2016, and the YPG, in early 2018. Turkish troops are also present in
Idlib, the last rebel-held province where President Assad and his Russian backers are currently waging a huge offensive. Ankara controls 12 military points in rebel territory along the frontline with Assad, which were set up under a ceasefire agreement with Russia.
Mr Assad has never accepted the presence of Turkish boots on Syrian soil, however, describing it as an invasion of sovereign territory and vowing to seize back the whole country. One of the bases has now been surrounded by his forces and the Turkish flag lowered, while a second was targeted in airstrikes which narrowly missed it on Wednesday morning.
There is growing disquiet among Turkish top brass over Ankara’s growing embroilment in the Syrian quagmire. Five generals resigned earlier this week, including the commander and deputy commander of the Idlib operations.