- Title: Displaced Syrian Kurds in Iraq doubtful about ceasefire
- Date: 18th October 2019
- Summary: DOHUK, IRAQ (OCTOBER 18, 2019) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF BUSES CARRYING DISPLACED SYRIAN KURDS ARRIVING AT BARDARASH REFUGEE CAMP VARIOUS OF PASSENGERS IN BUS (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) DISPLACED SYRIAN KURD, ABDUL-HAKIM HUSSEIN, SAYING: "We don't trust Turkey and the ceasefire agreement. They are talking about a ceasefire, while the bombardment is still going in the Ras Ein district. Shelling continues. There is no ceasefire yet." DISPLACED PEOPLE BEING LED TOWARDS CAMP BY WORKERS (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) DISPLACED SYRIAN KURD, MOHAMMED (SURNAME UNKNOWN), SAYING: "There is nothing tangible yet about the ceasefire. Probably, the ceasefire won't happen. We have no hope about a ceasefire. We heard a lot of this kind of statement by (U.S. President Donald) Trump, but they were in vain. Planes are still pounding and destroying the country." PASSENGERS GETTING OFF BUS, CAMP WORKERS POINTING WHERE TO GO (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) DISPLACED KURD, IBRAHIM DAWOOD, SAYING: ''If the situation is calms down, we will return to our houses and properties.'' VARIOUS OF TENTS IN CAMP BARBED WIRE FENCE / PEOPLE IN CAMP TENTS WITH PEOPLE QUEUING IN BACKGROUND PEOPLE QUEUING UP TO RECEIVE FOOD AND WATER WATER BEING HANDED OUT TO CAMP'S RESIDENTS WATER BEING HANDED OUT, MAN MIXING FOOD TO DISTRIBUTE MAN LADLING FOOD FROM LARGE PAN INTO SMALLER ONE VARIOUS OF CAMP RESIDENTS STANDING IN QUEUE TO GET FOOD CHILDREN CARRYING WATER AND POT OF FOOD VARIOUS OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN SITTING IN TENT, CHILDREN PLAYING WITH POST
- Embargoed: 1st November 2019 15:43
- Keywords: Syria conflict ceasefire Kurds Iraq Syrian Kurds Turkey
- Location: DOHUK, IRAQ
- City: DOHUK, IRAQ
- Country: Iraq
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,Civil Unrest
- Reuters ID: LVA001B1MLRGN
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Syrian Kurds forced to flee from Turkey's military offensive said on Friday (October 18) that they were doubtful a ceasefire agreed between Turkey and the United States would be effective.
Displaced Kurds arriving in Bardarash refugee camp in Iraq's Dohuk said they didn't trust Turkey and that despite a ceasefire being in place, bombardments were still ongoing.
The truce, announced on Thursday (October 17) by U.S. Vice President Mike Pence after talks in Ankara with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, sets out a five-day pause to let the Kurdish-led SDF militia withdraw from an area controlled by Turkish forces.
But if implemented it would achieve all the main objectives Turkey announced when it launched the assault eight days ago: control of a strip of Syria more than 30 km (20 miles) deep, with the Kurdish YPG militia, formerly close U.S. allies, obliged to pull out.
Turkey views the YPG as a terrorist organisation linked to Kurdish separatist insurgents at home. It also wants to create a "safe zone" 30 km into Syrian territory where it aims to re-settle millions of Syrian refugees displaced by the war.
About 1,000 refugees had crossed into Iraq's Kurdish north since the Turkish operation began, according to the UN Refugee Agency and International Organization for Migration, and more are expected.
(Production: Kawa Omar, Mohammed al-Ramahi, Maher Nazeh, Mohammed Katfan, Louisa Naks) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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