Please avoid: Instead, provide reasoned counter-arguments that improve the conversation. The area falling within Turkey's "safe zone" is fertile plain that once served as Syria's breadbasket. But remember to criticize ideas, not people. VideoBrothers play tabla to the BBC theme tune, The Countdown: President Ariana and astronauts vote, The three-year-old orphaned by war. The UN also expressed grave concern for the population of the two IDP camps at Ain Issa, south of Tal Abyad. This content is currently not available in your region. Armenian Forces Sustained Heavy Losses In New Wave Of Azerbaijani Drone Strikes (Videos) Israel Released Details On Alleged Hezbollah Missile Factory In … Related Topics. The area around the camps was hit by shells on 13 October as Turkish forces advanced, prompting some of the 13,000 residents to flee, it said. The battle sparked alarm across the world and a US-led multinational coalition against IS intervened by carrying out air strikes. These are not hard and fast rules, merely guidelines to aid the human judgment of our community and keep this a clean and well-lighted place for civilized public discourse. Before the uprising against Mr Assad began in 2011 most Kurds lived in the cities of Damascus and Aleppo, and in three northern areas near the Turkish border - Afrin in the west, Kobane (Ain al-Arab) in the centre, and Qamishli in the east. But they have never had a widely-recognised permanent nation state of their own. Video, ICYMI: The puppy born green and other curiosities, 'It's devastating... watching my community burn' Video, 'It's devastating... watching my community burn', Brothers play tabla to the BBC theme tune. Amid growing chaos, US officials said on 13 October that Mr Trump had decided to begin withdraw all its troops from northern Syria. Syria. Video, Composer with dementia meets students he inspired, US election 2020: How Trump has changed the world, Trump comment on 'blowing up' Nile Dam angers Ethiopia, Coronavirus: US cases reach record high amid new wave of infections, Thai king in rare praise for pro-monarchists, Osiris-Rex: Nasa probe risks losing asteroid sample after door jams, Porn effects: 'My expectations of sex and body image were warped', Afghan bombing: Kabul education centre attack kills at least 18. While the first half of 2019 witnessed little territorial changes, the Syrian War would see a major shift towards the last three months of the year. © 2020 BBC. The scale, severity, and complexity of needs across Syria remain overwhelming. The new European data protection law requires us to inform you of the following before you use our website: We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. ‘Beardless men look like girls and provoke gay thoughts,’ says Muslim... Trump Plays Nuclear ‘Chicken’ with Putin over Syria. Syrian civil war; image copyright AFP. Meanwhile, there were reports of unrest at al-Hol camp, which is about 60km from the Turkish border and so would not be in Turkey's proposed "safe zone". For decades, they were suppressed and denied basic rights by President Bashar al-Assad and, before him, his father Hafez. .css-8h1dth-Link{font-family:ReithSans,Helvetica,Arial,freesans,sans-serif;font-weight:700;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;color:#FFFFFF;}.css-8h1dth-Link:hover,.css-8h1dth-Link:focus{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;}Read about our approach to external linking. US and Turkish troops carried out joint patrols in the area and the YPG co-operated, withdrawing fighters and heavy weapons and dismantling fortifications. VideoCould blood plasma help treat coronavirus? More than 83,000 new infections were reported on Friday, with deaths and hospital numbers also rising. VideoICYMI: The puppy born green and other curiosities, 'It's devastating... watching my community burn' Video'It's devastating... watching my community burn', Striking news pictures from around the world, Brothers play tabla to the BBC theme tune. In 2012, government forces withdrew from Kurdish areas to concentrate on fighting rebel factions elsewhere, and Kurdish militias took control in their wake. How Global Powerbrokers Play Fates Of Nations. Win or lose, Trump has already changed the world, Attack on Kabul education centre kills 18. Hours later, the SDF said an agreement had been reached with the Syrian government - which considers the US an enemy - for the Syrian army "to enter and deploy along the length of the Syrian-Turkish border" and repel the Turkish assault. .css-14iz86j-BoldText{font-weight:bold;}Turkey's military launched a cross-border operation against Kurdish-led forces in Syria in early October, after US troops who had been allied to the Kurds withdrew. Military Situation In Syria On November 9, 2019 (Map Update) Donate. Turkish air and artillery strikes affected a much larger area, including predominantly Kurdish towns and villages to the west and east. By. .css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:link{color:inherit;}.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:visited{color:#696969;}.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:link,.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:visited{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:link:hover,.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:visited:hover,.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:link:focus,.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:visited:focus{color:#B80000;-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;}.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:link::after,.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:visited::after{content:'';position:absolute;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;left:0;z-index:2;}Who are the Kurds? We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. Young Thai activists are embracing Hong Kong tactics, ICYMI: The puppy born green and other curiosities. That’s fine. Drones Strike Targets Inside Armenia. VideoThe three-year-old orphaned by war, Composer with dementia meets students he inspired. US election 2020 polls: Who is ahead - Trump or Biden? With the help of coalition airpower, weaponry and advisers, SDF fighters drove IS out of a quarter of Syria and captured its last pocket of territory in the country in March 2019. .css-yidnqd-InlineLink:link{color:#3F3F42;}.css-yidnqd-InlineLink:visited{color:#696969;}.css-yidnqd-InlineLink:link,.css-yidnqd-InlineLink:visited{font-weight:bolder;border-bottom:1px solid #BABABA;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}.css-yidnqd-InlineLink:link:hover,.css-yidnqd-InlineLink:visited:hover,.css-yidnqd-InlineLink:link:focus,.css-yidnqd-InlineLink:visited:focus{border-bottom-color:currentcolor;border-bottom-width:2px;color:#B80000;}@supports (text-underline-offset:0.25em){.css-yidnqd-InlineLink:link,.css-yidnqd-InlineLink:visited{border-bottom:none;-webkit-text-decoration:underline #BABABA;text-decoration:underline #BABABA;-webkit-text-decoration-thickness:1px;text-decoration-thickness:1px;-webkit-text-decoration-skip-ink:none;text-decoration-skip-ink:none;text-underline-offset:0.25em;}.css-yidnqd-InlineLink:link:hover,.css-yidnqd-InlineLink:visited:hover,.css-yidnqd-InlineLink:link:focus,.css-yidnqd-InlineLink:visited:focus{-webkit-text-decoration-color:currentcolor;text-decoration-color:currentcolor;-webkit-text-decoration-thickness:2px;text-decoration-thickness:2px;color:#B80000;}}The UN said most of the displaced were from the towns of Ras al-Ain and Tal Abyad, which were the initial targets of the Turkish assault. Syria; End of 2019 map of Syrian War. In an attempt to avert an offensive, the US and Turkish militaries agreed in August to set up a "security mechanism" on the Syrian side of border – an area that would be free of YPG fighters, but pointedly avoided using the term "safe zone". All comments that are not spam or wholly inappropriate are approved, we do not sort out opinions or points of view that are different from ours. The SDF has said its fighters will continue to guard the prisons and camps, but there is a concern they could be called away to other areas or be forced to flee if attacked. SDF officials reported that dozens of women and children being held at the camps because of suspected links to IS, including British nationals, were among those who fled. BEIRUT, LEBANON (10:30 P.M.) – The Syrian conflict is nearing its ninth year as the Levantine nation continues to experience violent battles in several parts of the country . When the uprising evolved into a civil war, the main Kurdish parties avoided taking sides. You may wish to respond to something by disagreeing with it. By clicking “I agree” below, you consent to the use by us and our third-party partners of cookies and data gathered from your use of our platforms. They also set up an "autonomous administration" to govern the region. News Desk - 2020-01-01. We rely on readers like you to uphold a free press. Notice: All comments represent the view of the commenter and not necessarily the views of AMN. These maps help explain the offensive and what is happening on the ground. It wants to push back members of the YPG, which it views as an extension of a Kurdish rebel group that has been fighting in Turkey for decades and is designated a terrorist organisation - the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). 14 October 2019 . At least 4,000 of the prisoners are foreign nationals. The SDF said it was determined to defend its territory "at all costs", but Turkish-led forces were able to steadily push their way into a sparsely populated, mostly Arab area between the towns of Tal Abyad and Ras al-Ain in the first five days of the assault. View all Syrian Arab Republic Maps and Infographics Most Read. It is dotted with dozens of villages and towns, unlike the barren, desert regions to the south. Help us make this a great place for discussion by always working to improve the discussion in some way, however small. See our Privacy Policy and Third Party Partners to learn more about the use of data and your rights. Please treat this discussion with the same respect you would a public park.