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On 13 October, SDF forces launched a counter Offensive, pushing back Turkish military and recapturing key points of the town, including the Industrial district <ref>"kurdish-forces-recapture-large-parts-of-ras-al-ayn-kill-many-turkish-back-militants" Southfront https://southfront.org/kurdish-forces-recapture-large-parts-of-ras-al-ayn-kill-many-turkish-back-militants/ </ref> <ref> "kurdish-led-forces-retake-most-of-key-city-in-northern-syria" Almar News 2019-10-13 https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/kurdish-led-forces-retake-most-of-key-city-in-northern-syria/ </ref>.By 15 October, the SDF had fully recaptured the town, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and other sources <ref> "Syrian-Observatory-SDF-captures-Syria-s-Ras-al-Ain" http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2019/10/15/Syrian-Observatory-SDF-captures-Syria-s-Ras-al-Ain-.html</ref>. The Kurdish forces also retook some of the nearby M4 motorway. SDF had prepared extensive tunnels under Ras al Ayn, and used them to launch attacks on TFSA militia in the town <ref> Lara Seligman Foreign Policy "syrian-kurdish-fighters-mount-counterattack-turkish-sdf-network-of-tunnels" https://foreignpolicy.com/2019/10/15/syrian-kurdish-fighters-mount-counterattack-turkish-sdf-network-of-tunnels/ </ref>
On 13 October, SDF forces launched a counter Offensive, pushing back Turkish military and recapturing key points of the town, including the Industrial district <ref>"kurdish-forces-recapture-large-parts-of-ras-al-ayn-kill-many-turkish-back-militants" Southfront https://southfront.org/kurdish-forces-recapture-large-parts-of-ras-al-ayn-kill-many-turkish-back-militants/ </ref> <ref> "kurdish-led-forces-retake-most-of-key-city-in-northern-syria" Almar News 2019-10-13 https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/kurdish-led-forces-retake-most-of-key-city-in-northern-syria/ </ref>.By 15 October, the SDF had fully recaptured the town, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and other sources <ref> "Syrian-Observatory-SDF-captures-Syria-s-Ras-al-Ain" http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2019/10/15/Syrian-Observatory-SDF-captures-Syria-s-Ras-al-Ain-.html</ref>. The Kurdish forces also retook some of the nearby M4 motorway. SDF had prepared extensive tunnels under Ras al Ayn, and used them to launch attacks on TFSA militia in the town <ref> Lara Seligman Foreign Policy "syrian-kurdish-fighters-mount-counterattack-turkish-sdf-network-of-tunnels" https://foreignpolicy.com/2019/10/15/syrian-kurdish-fighters-mount-counterattack-turkish-sdf-network-of-tunnels/ </ref>



== Ceasefire ==
On the 19th of October, The US government and Turkey agreed on a deal for the Kurds to withdraw from the 30 mile safezone on the Turkish border. This is the majority of the areas where the Kurdish population lives, and while accepting the ceasefire, the Kurds rejected withdrawing from the area and handing it over to Turkey as "occupation" <ref>
On the 19th of October, The US government and Turkey agreed on a deal for the Turkish army to halt attacks, and for the Kurds to withdraw from the 30 mile safezone on the Turkish border. This is the majority of the areas where the Kurdish population lives, and while accepting the ceasefire, the Kurds rejected withdrawing from the area and handing it over to Turkey as "occupation" <ref> Bethan McKernan, Julian Borger Fri 18 Oct 2019 "Us Delegation seeks syria ceasefire after trump undercuts mission Turkey Mike Pence "The Guardian" https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/oct/17/us-delegation-seeks-syria-ceasefire-after-trump-undercuts-mission-turkey-mike-pence </ref>Kurdish forces fighting in the safezone, including Ras al-ayn had not been consulted and refused, as it was their land. Some Kurds speaking to the media called it an insult. Red Crescent ambulances could not reach the town to evacuate the wounded SDF fighters. The Kurds observed the ceasefore in some areas, however in Ras Al_ayn and a few other areas, the SDF continued to fight the Turkish-backed Free Syrian Army, <ref>"The Latest: Reports of fighting despite Syria Cease Fire" The Sacremento Bee October 18, 2019 https://www.sacbee.com/news/nation-world/article236396868.html</ref>
Bethan McKernan, Julian Borger Fri 18 Oct 2019 "Us Delegation seeks syria ceasefire after trump undercuts mission Turkey Mike Pence "The Guardian" https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/oct/17/us-delegation-seeks-syria-ceasefire-after-trump-undercuts-mission-turkey-mike-pence </ref>Kurdish forces fighting in the safezone, including Eas al-ayn had not been consulted and refused, as it was their land. Some Kurds speaking to the media called it an insult. Red Crescent ambulances could not reach the town to evacuate the wounded SDF fighters. The Kurds observed the ceasefore in some areas, however in Ras Al_ayn and a few other areas, the SDF continued to fight the Turkish-backed Free Syrian Army, <ref>"The Latest: Reports of fighting despite Syria Cease Fire" The Sacremento Bee October 18, 2019 https://www.sacbee.com/news/nation-world/article236396868.html</ref>


== References ==
== References ==

Revision as of 11:44, 18 October 2019

Battle of Ras al-Ayn
Part of the Operation Peace Spring of the Rojava conflict of the Syrian Civil War and the Syrian Kurdish–Islamist conflict
Date9 October – Ongoing
Location
Ras al-Ayn, Syria

The second Battle of Ras al-Ayn(referred to as Serekaniye by the Kurdish people) is an ongoing battle in the Syrian Civil War between Turkish Armed Forces, Turkish Free Syrian Army Militia and Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF)

Background

Following the announcement of a US troop withdrawal by President Trump, and the confirmation to Turkey that US troops would not stop a Turkish invasion[1], Turkey made moves to invade Syria via the North East, in an effort to enforce a 30 kilometre safe zone, and attack Kurdish forces in the area, who they claimed to be terrorists threatening Turkey. The announcement of the withdrawal of US troops on 7 October came as a surprise to the SDF, however they were somewhat prepared for an invasion, despite the fact that the US had removed fortifications they had built, in order to meet Turkish demands about the enforcement of a safe zone. Turkish forces had removed concrete barrier on the border, and were built up on the border, waiting to attack. Turkish forces, and their allied Turkish Free Syrian Army forces (also referred as Syrian National Army) cross into Syria on 9 October [2] [3] There was large international condemnation of this incursion, and a number of European countries used arms embargoes.

Initial Movements

Small Forward troops crossed into Turkey, moving close to Ras Al-Ayn and Tal Abyad on 9 October [4]. The Town was initially attacked by artillery and aerial bombing by the Turkish air force, which resulted in some of the civilian population fleeing the area, heading south [5]. Reinforced Turkish units proceeded to move towards the town and Tal Abyad.

Turkish forces move into Ras al-Ayn

On 12 October, more substantive Turkish forces attacked the town, moving into it, with some indications that Turkish forces had moved into the centre of the town. At the same time, the SDF did a tactical retreat, pulling back before the Turkish forces in response to a Turkish artillery bombardment of their areas. Clashes continued in the Industrial district. [6]. The Kurdish Politician Hervin Khalaf and a number of civilians were executed outside the town, caught on a road, by the TFSA[7]. Turkish troops continued to move into the town, gaining control of the Ras al-Ayn's residential center, with some Turkish media sources claiming that the town had been completely captured. However, SDF troops showed video of themselves still in the town, continuing to engage the Turkish forces [8] Turkish troops continued to gain control of more areas around the town, including adjacent villages, and the M4 motorway, while fighting continued inside areas of the town itself, with the SDF continued to resist [9] On 13 October, SDF forces launched a counter Offensive, pushing back Turkish military and recapturing key points of the town, including the Industrial district [10] [11].By 15 October, the SDF had fully recaptured the town, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and other sources [12]. The Kurdish forces also retook some of the nearby M4 motorway. SDF had prepared extensive tunnels under Ras al Ayn, and used them to launch attacks on TFSA militia in the town [13]


On the 19th of October, The US government and Turkey agreed on a deal for the Turkish army to halt attacks, and for the Kurds to withdraw from the 30 mile safezone on the Turkish border. This is the majority of the areas where the Kurdish population lives, and while accepting the ceasefire, the Kurds rejected withdrawing from the area and handing it over to Turkey as "occupation" [14]Kurdish forces fighting in the safezone, including Ras al-ayn had not been consulted and refused, as it was their land. Some Kurds speaking to the media called it an insult. Red Crescent ambulances could not reach the town to evacuate the wounded SDF fighters. The Kurds observed the ceasefore in some areas, however in Ras Al_ayn and a few other areas, the SDF continued to fight the Turkish-backed Free Syrian Army, [15]

References

  1. ^ Jen Kirby "trump-syria-turkey-erdogan-invasion-kurds" VOX Oct 8, 2019 https://www.vox.com/2019/10/7/20902699/trump-syria-turkey-erdogan-invasion-kurds
  2. ^ "turkey-invades-syria-in-land-offensive-against-kurdish-militia" Australian Broadcasting Commission 10 Oct 2019 https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-10-10/turkey-invades-syria-in-land-offensive-against-kurdish-militia/11584084
  3. ^ Helen Regan and Bianca Britton "Syria Turkey Invasion" CNN October 10, 2019 https://edition.cnn.com/2019/10/09/politics/syria-turkey-invasion-intl-hnk/index.html
  4. ^ Selcan Hacaoglu and Onur Ant October 9, 2019 "Turkey says its military will cross syrian border shortly" Bloomberg https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-10-09/turkey-says-its-military-will-cross-syrian-border-shortly
  5. ^ Laura Pitel "turkey-launches-offensive-in-northeast-syria" Irish Times Wed, Oct 9, 2019 https://www.irishtimes.com/news/world/middle-east/turkey-launches-offensive-in-northeast-syria-1.4045184
  6. ^ Orhan Coskun, Tom Perry "Turkish forces intensify bombardment around syrian town" Reuters October 12 https://www.reuters.com/article/us-syria-security-turkey-usa/turkish-forces-intensify-bombardment-around-syrian-town-idUSKBN1WR04D
  7. ^ Orhan Coskun, Tom Perry "Turkish forces intensify bombardment around syrian town" Reuters October 12 https://www.reuters.com/article/us-syria-security-turkey-usa/turkish-forces-intensify-bombardment-around-syrian-town-idUSKBN1WR04D
  8. ^ turkey-syria-assault-forces-capture-key-border-town-as-troops-push-further-into-syria CBS News https://www.cbsnews.com/news/turkey-syria-assault-forces-capture-key-border-town-as-troops-push-further-into-syria-today-2019-10-12/
  9. ^ "Violent battles continue in areas in Ras Al-Ayn city and its countryside and in the vicinity of Tal Abyad city in conjunction with heavy ground shelling witnessed in the area" Syrian Human rights 14/10/2019http://www.syriahr.com/en/?p=143884
  10. ^ "kurdish-forces-recapture-large-parts-of-ras-al-ayn-kill-many-turkish-back-militants" Southfront https://southfront.org/kurdish-forces-recapture-large-parts-of-ras-al-ayn-kill-many-turkish-back-militants/
  11. ^ "kurdish-led-forces-retake-most-of-key-city-in-northern-syria" Almar News 2019-10-13 https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/kurdish-led-forces-retake-most-of-key-city-in-northern-syria/
  12. ^ "Syrian-Observatory-SDF-captures-Syria-s-Ras-al-Ain" http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2019/10/15/Syrian-Observatory-SDF-captures-Syria-s-Ras-al-Ain-.html
  13. ^ Lara Seligman Foreign Policy "syrian-kurdish-fighters-mount-counterattack-turkish-sdf-network-of-tunnels" https://foreignpolicy.com/2019/10/15/syrian-kurdish-fighters-mount-counterattack-turkish-sdf-network-of-tunnels/
  14. ^ Bethan McKernan, Julian Borger Fri 18 Oct 2019 "Us Delegation seeks syria ceasefire after trump undercuts mission Turkey Mike Pence "The Guardian" https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/oct/17/us-delegation-seeks-syria-ceasefire-after-trump-undercuts-mission-turkey-mike-pence
  15. ^ "The Latest: Reports of fighting despite Syria Cease Fire" The Sacremento Bee October 18, 2019 https://www.sacbee.com/news/nation-world/article236396868.html
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