Unknown details regarding Syria safe zone center

Mahmoud Mohammadi

Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar that a Turkish-US operation center to establish and manage a safe zone in northeast Syria will become operational next week.

“The joint operation center will start working with full capacity next week,” Akar was quoted as saying by Turkey’s state-owned Anadolu news agency.

Akar said that Turkish and US officials have agreed that Syrian Kurdish People Protection Units fighters should be removed from the area and their heavy weapons should be taken.

Washington and Ankara have been at odds over plans for northeastern Syria, where the YPG formed the main part of a US-backed force which fought against Daesh. Turkey considers the YPG an enemy and a terrorist group.

“There has been certain progress. It marks a good start. There are still things to be done, the efforts will continue,” Akar added.

Turkey and the United States agreed last week to set up the joint operations center for the proposed zone along Syria’s northeast border but gave few details, such as the size of the zone itself or the command structure of forces that would operate there.

Earlier this week a US delegation visited southern Turkey to work on getting the center started, and Turkish drones began carrying out work in the area where the safe zone will be created, the defense ministry said.

Ankara and Washington have also agreed in general terms about control and coordination of air space in the region, Akar was reported as saying by Anadolu.

The U.S. and Turkey previously agreed in June 2018 to conduct joint patrols around the SDF-controlled northern Syrian city of Manbij and facilitate YPG evacuation from the area. Turkey has long accused Washington of stalling on that agreement.

The U.S. assured the Turkish government years ago that its partnership with the YPG and SDF was temporary and that weapons provided to the group would be collected upon the defeat of Daesh.

The SDF captured the last remaining Daesh-held territory in Syria in March with international Coalition support.