Journalists lash out at Russian silence in NE Syria

Journalists covering events in North Eastern Syria have said that :'' Russians, as a Guarantor State, who are supposed to observe the ceasefire agreement, are merely watching events''.

20 December, 2020 06:37

KOBANI

On October 17^th, 2019, an agreement was concluded between the U.S. and Turkey supervised by the U.S. vice president, Mike Pence, to observe ceasefire in the region, and withdrawal by the Syrian Democratic Forces, the SDF, from areas open to Turkish military operations, in the aftermath of the Turkish Invasion to the city of Gire Spi/ Tal Abyad and that of SereKaniye/Ras al-Ain, after which, five days later, the Sochi Agreement was concluded between Russia and Turkey stipulating a permanent ceasefire agreement as to be guaranteed by the Russian Forces as mediators between Syrian Democratic Forces and the Turkish Occupation Forces.

But since then, attacks on daily bases by Turkish Occupation Forces have never stopped, that arose popular resentment against Russian Forces calling on them to deter Turkish Forces from such attacks and to take responsibility.

Journalists told ANHA that the Russian Forces have never met their responsibilities regarding what is taking place in the region, as the take only the role of watchers, as bombardment by Turkish Occupation Forces target areas close to the Russian military posts.

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Mesopotamia News Agency, Nazem Dashtan says:'' Russia is an international power, it is effective, and it is the real player in the Syria politically and militarily, and it has deeply rooted and vital relations with the Syrian Government, from the onset of the Syrian Crisis Russians have never given up as to their support to the Syrian Government, but after the Turkish Invasion to the city of Gire Spi / Tal Abuad and that of Sere Kaniye /Ras al-Ain, Russian Forces entered the region as to play the role of guarantors, as we have seen Syrian Democratic Forces withdrew to the point as it was required by the concerned countries to observe the ceasefire agreement, but the Turkish Occupation Forces never abided by the ceasefire agreement and, as we see, Ain Issa is under attack on daily bases.

Dashtan added that '' Russian Forces have never acted as it was to be as the Russian silence is evident to all, they have never released any statement to the public opinion on the issue, what this silence signifies? For reality, Russia is never concerned except for it's mere interest in Syria, for it tries to have minimum losses in the Syrian War, as it tries to bargain with both the Syrian Government and the Turkish Occupation Forces at the same time''.

In the same context, the Kurdish journalist indicated :''lately, there has been an escalation in the Ain Issa district, as Russian Forces ask the Syrian Democratic Forces to hand over the region to the Syrian Government Forces that gives substance to the Russian rejection to the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria, and the desire to revert to the pre 2011 status, the Russian role is a negative one, serves just prolongation of the Syrian Crisis instead to adopt the political solution and commence dialogue with the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria, this is my observation on the situation of the 5 years coverage in this area''.

From his part, journalist in the Ronahi TV, Mohamed Sidi, says:'' the agreement or the understanding that was reached between Russia and the Turkish Occupation State stipulates a ceasefire, that has never saw light up to date from the part of the Turkish Occupation Forces, as Syrian Democratic Forces put into practise the term that implies withdrawal, as in the Sochi Agreement''.

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Sidi added that the Russian Forces and the Syrian Government ones entered into the region and were deployed to the Syrian –Turkish border as was stipulated in the tripartite agreement signed between the Russian Forces, Syrian Government and Syrian Democratic Forces, and allowance was given to this entry was to guarantee application of ceasefire, but they did nothing''.

People in the North and East Syria condemn the silence observed by the Russian Forces in reference to the attacks carried out by the Turkish Occupation Forces, as some protests and demonstrations headed to the Russian bases in the Ain Issa town, calling on them to take responsibility.

Sidi noted that Russians would be have a primary role to determine the political solution in Syria, and to put an end to the crisis, and that Russians have given up the role played as guarantors, as they do nothing to deter Turkish attacks, or play the role of a mediator between the Syrian Government and the Autonomous Administration in North and East Syria.

At the end of his words, Sidi indicated that '' in such a phase of the Syrian Crisis no involved part in the Syrian Crisis ought to take unilateral decisions, especially Russia that was a part to the handover of Afrin to the Turkish Occupation Forces, and if this repeated in other areas it would not meet content by the people in the region''.

L.A.

ANHA