Safe Zone (Syria)
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| Pre-war population22±.5;Internally displaced 6±.5,Refugees 5.5±.5,Fatalities 0.5±.1(millions)[citation needed] | |||
| Syrian refugees | |||
| By country | Egypt,Lebanon, Jordan,Turkey | ||
| Settlements | Camps:Jordan | ||
| Internally displaced Syrians | |||
| Casualties of the war | |||
| Crimes | War crimes,massacres,rape | ||
| Return of refugees,Refugees as weapons,Prosecution of war criminals | |||
| Part of a series on theSyrian civil war |
| Syrian peace process |
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Safe zones, de-escalation zones or no-fly zones have been proposed or created at various points during theSyrian civil warwhich began in 2011, including "de-escalation zones" agreed between the Turkish and Russian powers backing various belligerent parties andno-fly zonesproposed in the Kurdish Northeast and rebel Northwest of the country.
Turkey's proposed safe zone
[edit]Turkeyand theSyrian oppositionproposed a safe zone that includes some regions of northern Syria; however, the United States and the other Western states were not willing to accept these plans.[1][2]After theadvancements of ISIL in Iraq,Turkey and the United States negotiated "safe zone", while the US accepted "ISIL-free zone ", US officials were reluctant to accept ano fly zone.[3][4]
In 2016 the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom,Theresa May,stated "The scenes we see of the indiscriminate slaughter of innocent civilians are absolutely appalling. We want to see an end to that, but there are many questions about a no-fly zone that need to be looked at: Who is it there to protect? Would it lead to [President Bashar al-]Assad bombing people in the expectation that they would then move to that zone? Who would enforce that safe area?"[5]
Damascus rejected Turkey's proposed safe zone and also blamed the Syrian Kurds. Stating "Syria’s Kurds who have accepted to become a tool in this aggressive US-Turkish project bear a historical responsibility."[6]
Kurdish proposed no-fly zone
[edit]In April 2017Îlham Ehmed,the current co-president of theExecutive Councilof theAutonomous Administration of North and East Syria(AANES),[7]stated "The US must take a clear stand against Turkish aggression. We demand that the US establish a no-fly zone to protect us against further aggression"[8]With the KurdishPeople's Protection Units (YPG)also calling for a no-fly zone via Twitter stating "Only [by] declaring north Syria as a no-fly zone can YPG defend the country unhindered. Turkey must adhere to no-fly zone", among protesters which gathered in Qamishli and online.[9][10]
In 2018James Jeffrey,the United States Special Representative for Syria Engagement raised the possibility of a no-fly zone for the Syrian Kurds in Rojava, what is now theAutonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES),stating "Remember, we were present not in northern Iraq, but over northern Iraq in Operation Northern Watch for 13 years", also suggesting that it did not need to be US forces, but "That can be a UN force. Under [resolution] 2254, there is language on a UN-managed and operated ceasefire. That can be partner forces. That can be other countries' forces."[11]
On October 10, 2019,Sinam Mohamad,the co-chair of theSyrian Democratic Council,the political arm of theSyrian Democratic Forces,again called for a no-fly zone in an effort to stop the attacks, she stated "We ask a for no-fly zone over our area. At least we will not have civilian casualties then"[12]
On October 31, 2019Îlham Ehmedargued that instead of joint patrols again called for a no-fly zone and an international force in order to monitor security on the border with Turkey.[13][14]
2017 de-escalation zones
[edit]Four ceasefire areas or de-escalation zones were proposed in 2017 in order to halt the intense fighting between thevarious sidesinvolved in theSyrian civil war.The framework for the de-escalation zones were agreed on as a result of the Astana talks between Russia, Iran and Turkey, in May 2017 while the final demarcation of the areas was completed in June 2017. The de-escalation zones agreement was set to expire in six months, with the possibility of continued renewal.[15][16]
Idlib demilitarization (2018–2019)
[edit]The de-escalation zones were set up in the greaterIdlibregion (including parts of Latakia and Aleppo under armed rebel control), the Rastan pocket in the Homs governorate, eastern Ghouta, including the Damascus countryside, and southern Syria (parts of Daraa and Quinetra governorates under insurgent control). The de-escalation zones notably excluded the American-controlledat-Tanf pocket,theareas controlled by the Syrian Democratic Forcesin north and eastern Syria and theTurkish-controlled zonesin the north.
The de-escalation zones are demarcated by the presence of Turkish, Iranian and Russian observation posts on the opposing sides the line separating governments forces from armed rebel forces. It was reported that Russian military police would work with Turkish military forces in the de-escalation zones and not let any Syrian Arab Army formations enter these areas in order to avoid any incitement which could turn into escalation.
As of January 1, 2019, the de-escalation zones in southern Syria, Damascus and Homs have been abolished after offensives conducted by the Syrian Arab Army on three occasions, which resulted in most of the armed rebels reconciling with the government and a sizeable minority taking the government-sanctioned busses to the greater Idlib region.
Northern Syria Buffer Zone (August 2019)
[edit]The Northern Syria Buffer Zone (aka "Safe Zone", "Peace Corridor", "Security Mechanism" ) was a temporarySyrian Civil Wardemilitarized zone(DMZ) established on the Syrian side of theSyria–Turkey borderin August 2019 to maintain security along the border and to dissuade aprospective Turkish invasionof the self-proclaimedAutonomous Administration of North and East Syria.[17]The DMZ was administered by theKurdish-ledSyrian Democratic Forces(SDF) and theirmilitary councilsand enforced byUnited States Armed ForcesandTurkish Armed Forcespersonnel.
Second Northern Syria Buffer Zone (October 2019)
[edit]The Second Northern Syria Buffer Zone, part of the Sochi Agreement[18][19](Turkish:Soçi Mutabakatı,Russian:Сочинское соглашение), is abuffer zonein northern Syria between theTurkish Armed Forces(TAF) and theSyrian Democratic Forces(SDF). It was set up following amemorandum of understandingin the Russian city ofSochion October 22, 2019, by the Russian and Turkish presidents during the2019 Turkish offensive into north-eastern Syria.Most of the zone is controlled by the Syrian Army andRussian Military Police,and some by the TAF.[20][21][22]
See also
[edit]
- Adana Agreement
- Humanitarian corridor
- Iraqi no-fly zones conflict
- Korean Demilitarized Zone
- No man's land
- Operation Deny Flight(Bosnia)
- Seam zone(Israel/Palestine)
- United Nations Buffer Zone in Cyprus
- United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973(No-Fly Zone in2011 Libyan Civil War)
- Vietnamese Demilitarized Zone
References
[edit]- ^"Turkey PM 'will support' Syria no-fly zone".Archivedfrom the original on 1 August 2016.Retrieved31 May2016.
- ^"Syrian opposition calls for no-fly zone".Archivedfrom the original on 4 March 2016.Retrieved31 May2016.
- ^Tisdall, Simon (27 July 2015)."Syrian safe zone: US relents to Turkish demands after border crisis grows".TheGuardian.com.Archivedfrom the original on 5 May 2016.Retrieved31 May2016.
- ^"DIPLOMACY - US and Turkey agree to forge 'ISIL-free zone' in Syria, official confirms".Archivedfrom the original on 22 July 2016.Retrieved31 May2016.
- ^"May questions Syria no-fly zone proposal".the Guardian.2016-10-12.Retrieved2021-11-05.
- ^Kayaoglu, Barin (2017-05-10)."Turkey angry, stoic with US decision to arm Syrian Kurds".doi:10.26598/auis_ug_is_2017_05_10.
{{cite journal}}:Cite journal requires|journal=(help) - ^Fetah, Vîviyan (2018-07-17)."Îlham Ehmed: Dê rêxistinên me li Şamê jî ava bibin".www.rudaw.net(in Kurdish).Rudaw Media Network.Archivedfrom the original on September 29, 2019.Retrieved5 June2023.
- ^"Kurds call on to set up no-fly zone after Turkish attacks".vestnikkavkaza.net.Retrieved2021-11-05.
- ^"Kurdish forces call for no-fly zone in northern Syria".EgyptToday.2017-04-26.Retrieved2021-11-05.
- ^"Kurdish forces call for no-fly zone in northern Syria - Region - World".Ahram Online.Retrieved2021-11-05.
- ^"How feasible is a no-fly zone for Rojava?".www.rudaw.net.Retrieved2021-11-05.
- ^"Kurdish-led SDF's political arm in U.S. repeats call for Syria no-fly zone".Reuters.2019-10-10.Retrieved2021-11-05.
- ^"Syrian Kurdish leader says Turkish attacks continue, contradicting Trump administration claims".ABC News.Retrieved2021-11-05.
- ^"Syrian Kurds urge Russia to impose no-fly zone to halt Turkish air strikes".Middle East Eye.Retrieved2021-11-05.
- ^Wintour, Patrick, Diplomatic editor (May 9, 2017)."Syria safe zones on hold amid concern over how deal will be enforced".The Guardian– via www.theguardian.com.
{{cite web}}:|first=has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^"Here's why Syria's" de-escalation zones "aren't" safe zones "".
- ^Kurdistan24."US and Turkey reach accord, but concerns of Syrian Kurds continue".Kurdistan24.Retrieved2019-08-25.
{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^Afrasiabi, Kaveh (25 October 2019)."Sochi agreement: A Russian overreach?".Middle East Eye.Archivedfrom the original on 16 November 2019.Retrieved16 November2019.
- ^"Soçi Mutabakatı - Erdoğan: Rusya, terör örgütlerinin güvenli bölgeden çıkarıldığı bilgisini yetkili mercilerimize verdi"(in Turkish). BBC. 29 October 2019.Archivedfrom the original on 1 November 2019.Retrieved16 November2019.
- ^"Memorandum of Understanding between Turkey and Russia on northern Syria".The Defense Post. 22 October 2019.Archivedfrom the original on 24 October 2019.Retrieved16 November2019.
- ^McKernan, Bethan; Borger, Julian (22 October 2019)."Turkey and Russia agree on deal over buffer zone in northern Syria".The Guardian.ISSN0261-3077.Archivedfrom the original on 14 December 2019.Retrieved24 October2019.
- ^"Turkey, Russia reach deal for YPG move out of Syria border area".www.aljazeera.com.Archivedfrom the original on 24 October 2019.Retrieved24 October2019.