- Title: Turkish-backed Syrian rebels enter Ras al Ain border town
- Date: 25th October 2019
- Summary: RAS AL AIN, SYRIA (OCTOBER 25, 2019) (REUTERS) TURKISH-BACKED SYRIAN REBELS WALKING IN TOWN'S EMPTY STREETS CAR DRIVING BY IN EMPTY STREET TURKISH-BACKED SYRIAN REBELS WALKING IN EMPTY STREETS (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) MILITARY COMMANDER OF SYRIAN REBEL GROUP THE HAMZA BRIGADE, SAIF ABU BAKR, SAYING: "We are now in Ras al Ain after it has been liberated from terrorist organisations, the PKK (Kurdistan Worker's Party) and the PYD (Democratic Union Party). Ras al Ain is considered to be one of the main strongholds for the PKK where these terrorists had dreamed to build a state in northeast Syria - from these cities. Of course, after liberating these cities, these dreams of having a state have been destroyed." VARIOUS OF ARMED REBEL FIGHTERS STANDING IN STREET SYRIAN OPPOSITION FLAG ON SOLDIER'S UNIFORM (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) MILITARY COMMANDER OF SYRIAN REBEL GROUP THE HAMZA BRIGADE, SAIF ABU BAKR, SAYING: "After liberating the city we brought the mining brigade in order to clear (the city) of the mines that were placed by the PKK and PYD terrorists inside the city, in order to enable civilians to come back to the city and go on with their normal lives. Of course, we in the National Syrian Army are committed to protect all religions and beliefs that exist in Ras Al Ain, we don't discriminate between an Arab, a Kurd, a Turkmen, a Christian or an Assyrian." CIVILIAN WALKING IN EMPTY STREET DOOR TO HOUSE ON STREET MAN HUGGING GIRL VARIOUS OF CHURCH'S CROSS ARMED FIGHTER STANDING OUTSIDE CHURCH PAINTING ON CHURCH'S DOOR INTERIOR OF CHURCH MOTORBIKE IN STREET VARIOUS OF SERMON AT MOSQUE STREETS IN RAS AL AIN
- Embargoed: 8th November 2019 16:11
- Keywords: Syria Kurds Ras al Ain Tukrey U.S.
- Location: RAS AL AIN, SYRIA
- City: RAS AL AIN, SYRIA
- Country: Syria
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace
- Reuters ID: LVA001B2LJTC7
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Turkish-backed Syrian rebel forces entered the northeastern Syrian town of Ras Al Ain on Friday (October 25).
A rebel leader said his forces will demine the city, allowing civilians to return to the border town, which looks deserted.
Turkish forces launched an offensive on northeastern Syria, including Ras Al Ain this month, after U.S. President Donald Trump announced his forces were withdrawing from the area. The U.S. withdrawal gave Ankara more room to pursue its Kurdish enemy without the risk of clashing directly with the Americans.
Most of the residents of Ras al Ain have fled, many displaced at crossings like Semalka until they are eventually allowed into Iraqi Kurdistan.
According to the United Nations, more than 176,000 people have fled their homes since Turkey launched its cross-border offensive. Some 80,000 children alone have been uprooted, U.N. officials said.
Only around 7,100 Syrian Kurds have made it over the border to neighbouring Iraq, the rest are stuck mostly in Kurdish-run Syrian towns like Hasakah.
(Production: Aboud Hamam, Tarek Fahmy) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2019. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None