Iran proposes action plan for Turkish withdrawal from Syria
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – The Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hussein Amir Abdullahian, said on Monday Iran has presented an action plan for the withdrawal of Turkish forces from Syria.
According to Sputnik Arabic, Abdullahian said “We proposed that Turkey first commit to withdraw its troops from Syrian territories. Second, Syria should to commit to deploying its forces on the border so that Turkish territories are not subject to threats.”
Abdullahian also stressed that both Iran and Russia will be guarantors in this agreement.
In late July, Abdullahian called on Turkey to withdraw from Syria following a meeting with his Syrian counterpart Faisal Mekdad in Tehran.
He also stressed that Iran fully understands Turkey’s concerns about the security of its borders with Syria, however, the presence of foreign forces in Syria will not contribute in stabilizing the region.
On Aug. 16, the Women’s Protection Units (YPJ) announced one of their commanders and two fighters lost their lives in a Turkish drone strike in the countryside of Manbij, northern Syria.
The YPJ stated, Shervin Sardar, a prominent YPJ leader who fought in many battles against the Islamic State (ISIS), died in a Turkish drone strike.
Founded in April 2013, the YPJ is an all-female force that is mainly made up of Kurds but includes other ethnic groups in Northeastern Syria. it is part of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
Turkey’s drone warfare began in 2020 but reached its peak in 2022 following Turkey’s desire to carry out a new invasion against north Syria which was met with rejection from the international community. The number of drone strikes in 2022 reached 90 strikes that targeted the population, civilian objects, and infrastructure.
Although the total number of civilian casualties was relatively small compared to the number of military personnel from the Syrian government forces and the SDF, the drone strikes directly targeted civilians which resulted in deaths and injuries, including women and children. These attacks have inflicted significant psychological, physical, and economic harm on the affected individuals and their families.
During the first half of 2023, Turkey attacked north Syria with 34 drone strikes, leaving behind 73 casualties, killing 44 individuals and injuring 29 others. The number of civilian victims constituted 27 percent of the total toll of victims.
The Monitoring and Documentation Department of North Press recorded 20 civilian casualties of these drone strikes. Among these, 12 were killed, including six women and a child, and eight were wounded, including a woman and three children.