For all of the latest developments, see these sources
Rojava Information Center:
https://rojavainformationcenter.com
ANF English:
Hawar News:
Turkish Proxies Appear to Be Using White Phosphorus in Syria
October 17, 2019 | Lara Seligman, Foreign Policy
Turkish-backed forces appear to be using munitions loaded with white phosphorus—a chemical that can maim and kill when it comes in contact with human flesh—in their violent campaign against Kurdish fighters in northern Syria, Foreign Policy has learned.
https://foreignpolicy.com/2019/10/17/turkish-proxies-chemical-weapons-syria-kurds/
Syria: Damning evidence of war crimes and other violations by Turkish forces and their allies
18 October 2019 | Amnesty International
Turkish military forces and a coalition of Turkey-backed Syrian armed groups have displayed a shameful disregard for civilian life, carrying out serious violations and war crimes, including summary killings and unlawful attacks that have killed and injured civilians, during the offensive into northeast Syria, said Amnesty International today.
Pence and Erdoğan agree on ceasefire plan but Kurds reject ‘occupation’
17 Oct 2019 | Bethan McKernan & Julian Borger, The Guardian
The Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, has agreed with the US vice-president, Mike Pence, to suspend Ankara’s operation on Kurdish-led forces in north-east Syria for the next five days in order to allow Kurdish troops to withdraw, potentially halting the latest bloodshed in Syria’s long war.
Turkey Agrees to Pause Fighting, but Not to Withdraw Forces From Northern Syria
Oct. 17, 2019 | Annie Karni, Lara Jakes and Patrick Kingsley, New York Times
ANKARA, Turkey — Vice President Mike Pence on Thursday agreed to a deal with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that accepted a Turkish military presence in a broad part of northern Syria in exchange for the promise of a five-day cease-fire, completing an abrupt reversal of American policy in the Syrian conflict.
PKK letter to the American people and President Trump
18 Oct 2019 | ANF English
Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) Foreign Relations Committee wrote a letter addressing to the American people and President Donald J. Trump responding to the comparisons made between the Kurdish movement and ISIS amid the genocidal campaign of the Turkish state against the Kurdish people.
https://anfenglishmobile.com/features/pkk-letter-to-the-american-people-and-president-trump-38561
Kurds’ Sense of Betrayal Compounded by Empowerment of Unsavory Rivals
Oct. 18, 2019 | Ben Hubbard and David D. Kirkpatrick, New York Times
DOHUK, Iraq — The United States had encouraged its Kurdish allies to dismantle their defenses in northern Syria, saying it would make it easier to assure Turkey that the Kurds posed no threat. So in recent months, according to three American officials involved, the Kurds blew up tunnels and destroyed trenches, leaving themselves vulnerable as the United States promised that it would have their back.
Turkey violates deal to pause Syrian fighting, officials say
October 18, 2019 | Jack Detsch, al-Monitor
Turkey began violating a deal to temporarily halt its offensive into northern Syria early today, US officials told Al-Monitor as reports emerged from the ground of artillery attacks against Kurdish fighters and civilians in a city where American and Turkish forces recently held joint patrols.
https://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2019/10/turkey-violate-deal-syria-fighting.html
How Turkey’s Invasion of Syria Backfired on Erdogan
October 16, 2019 | Patrick Cockburn, Counterpunch
Turkey’s Syrian venture is rapidly turning sour from President Erdogan’s point of view. The Turkish advance into northeast Syria is moving slowly, but Turkey’s military options are becoming increasingly limited as the Syrian Army, backed by Russia, moves into Kurdish-held cities and towns that might have been targeted by Turkish forces.
https://www.counterpunch.org/2019/10/16/how-turkeys-invasion-of-syria-backfired-on-erdogan/
Trump’s Betrayal of Rojava
October 15, 2019 | Meredith Tax, The Dissent
Since 2014, when it gave air support to the Kurdish armies fighting ISIS in Kobane, the U.S. military has worked closely with the Syrian Kurds. Together they developed and expanded the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) to the point where roughly half of its soldiers are Arabs.
https://www.dissentmagazine.org/online_articles/trumps-betrayal-of-rojava
Turkey’s state-sponsored Islamic terrorism
October 15, 2019 | Amir Darwish, Morning Star
IN TERRORISM studies, there is a theory that states can sponsor terrorism. Turkey is a strong candidate for such a case.
https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/f/turkeys-state-sponsored-islamic-terrorism
Turkey’s Erdogan branded a terrorist, war criminal and ally to jihadists
October 19, 2019 | Steve Sweeney, Morning Star
TURKISH President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been branded a terrorist, war criminal and ally to jihadists ahead of a major demonstration tomorrow against his war on Kurds in Syria.
The Kurds have faced their own ‘endless war’. And this is a dark new chapter
14 Oct 2019 | Giran Ozcan, The Guardian
Last week, Turkey began its long-planned attack on Kurdish forces in north-east Syria. Days before, the US president and his Turkish counterpart had spoken on the phone: Donald Trump was reportedly supposed to caution Recep Tayyip Erdoğan against a unilateral attack on Kurdish allies, who had helped to defeat Islamic State. Instead, he sanctioned one.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/oct/14/kurds-endless-war-turkey-erdogan
KCK: Withdrawal of the invaders is the only option!
19 Oct 2019 | ANF English
KCK Executive Council Co-Presidency issued a written statement about the ceasefire agreement and the Turkish state occupation in North East Syria.
https://anfenglishmobile.com/kurdistan/withdrawal-of-the-invaders-is-the-only-option-38570
Sabri Ok: Erdoğan is attacking NE Syria from his death bed
16 Oct 2019 | ANF English
KCK (Kurdistan Communities Union) Executive Council Member Sabri Ok evaluated the Turkish state’s invasion of Northern and Eastern Syria during the program Rojeva Welat on Stêrk TV on Tuesday evening.
KCK’s Ok: The winners will be the Kurds – Part 2
17 Oct 2019 | ANF English
KCK (Kurdistan Communities Union) Executive Council Member Sabri Ok evaluated the Turkish state’s invasion of Northern and Eastern Syria during the program Rojeva Welat on Stêrk TV on Tuesday evening.
https://anfenglishmobile.com/features/kck-ok-the-winners-will-be-the-kurds-part-2-38489
Autonomous Administration: Turkey hasn’t adhered to the ceasefire
18 Oct 2019 | ANF English
The Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria released a statement on the ceasefire agreement made between Turkey and the U.S. on Thursday.
(en) Czech, AFED: Stop Turkish aggression! – Report from the Prague demonstration [machine translation]
20 Oct 2019 | A – Infos
Prague demonstration in support of the autonomous region of Rojava, attacked by the Turkish army and its supported mercenaries —- Since the launch of the latest occupation attack by the army of the Turkish autocrat Erdogan, protest events have been taking place all over the world, as has been the case in the Czech Republic.
http://ainfos.ca/en/ainfos40642.html
(en) Czech, AFED: Expressions of solidarity with Rojava – Resistance to Turkish aggression in the north of Syria can be manifested in various ways… [machine translation]
20 Oct 2019 | A – Infos
The situation of the project of democratic confederalism is desperate, both because of the attack by the Turkish army and its supported Islamist militias, and because of the circumstances of a forced suicide alliance with the Syrian dictator Assad.
http://ainfos.ca/en/ainfos40639.html
The Turkish invasion of Syria: A new hope for Jihadists
16 Oct 2019 | Chris Den Hond, Open Democracy
From the moment Trump ordered U.S. troops to withdraw from Syria, Turkey wasted no time in launching an invasion of northern Syria. To understand the geopolitical stakes, I asked four people close to the situation for their assessments:
https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/north-africa-west-asia/turkish-invasion-syria-new-hope-jihadists/
Sarah Glynn: The resistance goes on
18 Oct 2019 | Sarah Glynn, Common Space
The fighting is far from over, but even if the Kurds are forced to concede every bit of territorial control in Syria, and the machinations of the US and Russia serve to strengthen Erdogan’s rule and make it even harder for Kurds – and for anyone of political conscience – within Turkey, the Kurdish movement will never give up the struggle for the freedom to express Kurdish identity.
https://www.commonspace.scot/articles/14827/sarah-glynn-resistance-goes
SDF fighters evacuate from besieged Syrian town of Ras al-Ain
20 Oct 2019 | Al Jazeera
Kurdish fighters belonging to the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have withdrawn from the besieged Syrian border town of Ras al-Ain in the first pullback under a ceasefire deal with Turkey brokered by the United States.