- Title: Rebels voice commitment to the five-day truce in Syria
- Date: 18th October 2019
- Summary: TAL ABYAD, SYRIA (OCTOBER 18, 2019) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF EMPTY ROAD WITH BANNERS READING IN ARABIC FROM RIGHT "RAQQA, ALEPPO, HASAKA" VARIOUS OF TAL ABYAD GATE THAT IS IN THE SYRIAN TURKISH BORDER A FIGHTER OPENING A TANK (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) AHMAD BARGHOUTH A NATIONAL ARMY FIGHTER SAYING: "We are the national army forces who are in Tal Abyad and we are committed to following the truce that was agreed on yesterday. If the truce is breached by the other parties we are ready to face them and continue the battle for the fountain of peace until the battle is over," A MAN RIDING A MOTORBIKE IN A QUIET STREET VARIOUS OF A TANK BEING DRIVEN ROUND A ROUNDABOUT (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) YAZAN ABU THABET, A FIELD COMMANDER IN THE FREE ARMY, SAYING: "Regarding the truce, we are committed to the conditions of the truce and the national agreement that was agreed on. At the same time we are ready for any attempt made by YPG or PKK to breach it. We are also ready for anything urgent that might take place." A VAN DRIVING THROUGH THE ROUNDABOUT A CHILD STANDING OUTSIDE A SHOP FRONT VARIOUS OF A MAN PREPARING FOOD PEOPLE SITTING AND EATING IN THE STREET (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) OMAR AL SHAMALI, AN ACTIVIST, SAYING: "If this thing is implemented in the right way and the PKK don't install any fortifications or plant any mines in the area that is expected to be set free, then this thing will be for our benefit. Also for us as civilians, the national army or anything in free Syria this land is for us, but unfortunately after PKK left Tal Abyad they burned the national hospital in the city of Tal Abyad." A GATHERING OF MEN VARIOUS OF BREAD LAID OUT IN THE STREET VARIOUS OF THE EMPTY STREET
- Embargoed: 1st November 2019 15:56
- Keywords: Syria Turkey USA Kurds truce conflict
- Location: TAL ABYAD, SYRIA
- City: TAL ABYAD, SYRIA
- Country: Syria
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,Military Conflicts
- Reuters ID: LVA001B1MLPVR
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: On Friday (October 18) Turkish-backed rebels voiced commitment to a truce Turkey agreed with the United States in Syria.
A five-day pause in Turkey's offensive was announced on Thursday (October 17) ostensibly to give U.S.-allied Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) militia time to withdraw from an area controlled by Turkish forces.
Despite this, shelling could be heard at the Syrian-Turkish border on Friday morning.
The deal was aimed at easing a crisis that saw President Donald Trump order a hasty and unexpected U.S. retreat, which his critics say amounted to abandoning loyal Kurdish allies that fought for years alongside U.S. troops against Islamic State.
But the U.S. special envoy for Syria, James Jeffrey, said the agreement covered only a smaller area where Turkish forces were already operating, without giving details of how far along the border Washington believed it stretched.
The Kurds said it was limited to a small strip between two border towns that have seen the bulk of the fighting: Ras al Ain and Tal Abyad, just 120 km away.
(Production: Mahmoud Hassano Muath Freij, Sarah Duffy) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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