Sere-Kaniye, since the start of Syrian crisis till the security mechanism
Sere-Kaniye – North-Press Agency
Mohammed Hasan
The city of Sere-Kaniye (Ras al-Ain), which introduced the first phase of the security mechanism in its western outskirts, is considered as a strategic city due to its location on the borders with Turkey, in addition to its ethnic diversity.
The importance of the city’s location has made it a target for the warring forces in Syria since 2011, where the city has witnessed many developments.
Conflict over Sere-Kaniye
After People’s Protection Units (YPG) took control over Sere-Kaniye in 2012, the city was attacked by some opposition factions along with some jihadi groups in November of the same year, where fierce clashes erupted between the two sides.
Following the clashes, the Turkey-backed opposition factions and other jihadi groups led by al-Nusra Front managed to seize a number of villages in the city’s countryside, but the city remained under the control of YPG.
Nearly a month after the outbreak of the clashes, the conflicting parties reached a short-term ceasefire in December 2012.
However, at the beginning of 2013, the clashes resumed mostly in the countryside until it reached the city in February of the same year, where it was divided between the western part which YPG maintained control and the eastern part which was controlled by the armed opposition groups.
About five months later, in July 2013, YPG launched a campaign to expel the armed groups from the city and its countryside, reaching areas adjacent to the town of Tal Abyad (Gire Spi) west of the city.
On June 16, 2015, YPG began a large scale military campaign which was supported by the US-led Global Coalition to liberate the entire bordering areas from the grip of the Islamic State group.
Turkey, the anxiety and threats
During the last period, local military councils were formed in the areas north and east of Syria to supervise the military side in their areas, where the formation of Sere-Kaniye Military Council was announced on June 27.
The US-led the Global Coalition, has worked to create a state of balance, which was repeatedly stating that it understands Turkey’s concerns (its NATO ally), and the need to protect its southern borders, while at the same time it was affirming its full support for the SDF and that it will not abandon its key ally in its fight against ISIS terrorist group.
This U.S. diplomacy led to reach what recently was announced as the security mechanism; some of its items were disclosed, while some other items remained ambiguous.
According to the 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 to 14km; to conduct direct US-Turkish patrols, under an agreement between the United States, Turkey and the SDF.
The Security Mechanism also indicated that this 14 km depth inside Syrian territories includes uninhabited areas.
The area would be run by local military councils in Gire Spi and Sere-Kaniye replacing People’s Protection Units (YPG), which had already started filling a number of their tunnels fortifications on the bordering areas with Turkey.