Tal Abyad and the security mechanism
Northern Syria – North-Press Agency
The city of Tal Abyad, which introduced the first phase of the security mechanism in its eastern outskirts, is considered as a strategic city due to its location on the borders with Turkey, in addition to its ethnic diversity.
Conflict over Tal Abyad
The importance of the city’s location has made it a target for the warring forces in Syria since 2012, where the Turkish-backed armed opposition groups sought to take control over the city in 2012.
After taking control over that borders area, there was a major infighting between the armed opposition groups, most of them were of an Islamist nature (Ahrar al-Sham, al-Nusra Front, the Islamic State) and others.
By the end of 2014, the Islamic State (ISlS) had managed to overthrow all its rivals in the area, and took full control over the area.
After the formation of the US-led Global Coalition against ISlS during the Battle of Kobani in September 2014, and its support for People’s Protection Units (YPG), these mainly Kurdish units were able to gradually reduce lSIS influence in the region.
The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) which was joined by local formations from various components of the region eventually eliminated ISIS in its last stronghold in the town of al-Baghouz in the eastern countryside of Deir ez-Zor, last March.
These developments were disturbing for Turkey, which has not ceased to threaten of launching military campaigns, following the SDF’s control of the entire eastern Euphrates, stretching to the Syrian-Iraqi borders.
After the U.S. President Donald Trump’s announcement of the U.S. troops withdrawal from Syria, the Turkish threats to invade the region were increased, causing fears among the local people of experiencing what was happened in the region of Afrin, which was invaded by the Turkish army and its affiliated armed opposition groups.
During the last period, local military councils were formed in the areas in north and east of Syria to take over the military side in their areas. The formation of the Tal Abyad Military Council was announced on June 16.
The U.S. diplomacy has repeatedly stated that it understands the concerns of its NATO ally, Turkey for protecting its southern borders, while at the same time, it has declared that the U.S. will not abandon the SDF, its main ally in its fight against ISIS terrorist group.
This U.S. diplomacy led to reach what recently has announced as the security mechanism; and a number of its items were disclosed, while some of its items remain ambigious.
According to that security mechanism, the area between Sere-Kaniye/Ras al-Ein and Gire Spi /Tal Abyad was divided into six sectors with a length of 88 km and a depth ranging between 5-14km; to conduct direct US-Turkish patrols, under an agreement between USA, Turkey and the SDF.
The Security Mechanism also indicated that this 14 km depth inside Syrian territories includes uninhabited areas.
It will be run by local military councils in Gire Spi/Tal Abyad and Sere-Kaniye/Ras al-Ain replacing the YPG, which had already started filling a number of their tunnels fortifications on the bordering area with Turkey.