Russia calls on YPG/PKK to withdraw from Syrian border
Kremlin spokesman says YPG/PKK terrorists will be crushed by Turkish military if they don’t pull out
MOSCOW
The Turkish army will crush the YPG/PKK terrorists if they do not withdraw from the Syrian border, Russian presidential spokesman said on Wednesday.
The agreement, reached by Turkish and Russian presidents in Russia's coastal city of Sochi on Oct.22, suggests the removal of YPG/PKK elements and their weapons from the region, Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
Peskov said if YPG/PKK do not pullout, the Syrian forces and Russian police will step aside, and YPG/PKK will be "run over by a Turkish military machine".
The Kremlin spokesman advised YPG/PKK not to wait for any help from the U.S., as the country has "abandoned its allies", leaving them on the Syrian border and "almost pushing them to fight with Turkey".
On Oct. 9, Turkey launched Operation Peace Spring to eliminate terrorists from northern Syria east of the Euphrates River in order to secure Turkey’s borders, aid in the safe return of Syrian refugees and ensure Syria’s territorial integrity.
Ankara agreed with Washington on Oct. 17 to pause its operation to allow YPG/PKK terrorists to withdraw from the planned safe zone.
On Tuesday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin held a "historic" meeting in the Black Sea resort town of Sochi just hours before the pause was set to expire.
Ankara and Moscow reached a deal under which PKK/YPG terrorists will pull back 30 kilometers (19 miles) from Turkey’s border with northern Syria within 150 hours and security forces from Turkey and Russia will conduct joint patrols there.
In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the European Union -- has been responsible for deaths of 40,000 people, including women, children and infants.
