Syria Kurds says they will respect ceasefire

In a further reflection of the complicated terrain across Syria’s zigzagging front lines, Davutoglu also warned Syria’s main Kurdish militia, a U.S.-backed group that has been fighting the Islamic State, against taking advantage of the truce for actions that threaten Turkey’s security.

In the expert’s opinion, such an unpredictable leader as Erdogan won’t dare to start an armed intervention into Syria without the approval of the US-led coalition and a UN Security Council resolution.

The YPG, like most of the groups that endorsed the ceasefire, says it reserves the right to respond if attacked.

The United States and Russian Federation announced the cessation of hostilities on Monday, and the task force is supposed to monitor whether it is implemented.

The Kurdish YPG forces had recaptured the strategic city of Tel Abyad on the border with Turkey in June, subsequent to fierce battles against ISIS militants.

The Russian center for reconciliation in Syria asked its USA counterpart in Amman for clarifications after a Turkish attack on the Syrian city of Tel Abyad Saturday night.

The US earlier described the YPG as an effective partner in the fight against IS (Islamic State, formerly ISIS/ISIL) in Syria, but Erdogan said the idea that the YPG is supported due to its anti-IS fight was a “great lie”.

On Feb. 25, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said the United States was “very sensitive” to Turkey’s concerns regarding the Syrian Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG), the military arm of the Democratic Union Party (PYD), which have caused an ongoing rift between Turkey and the U.S. over the designation of the groups.

Syria’s opposition has indicated it is ready for a two-week truce, saying it is a chance to test the sincerity of the Syrian government in accepting the deal.

Turkey’s opposition parties have all said that they are opposed to a military intervention into Syria, while Turkey’s North Atlantic Treaty Organisation allies urged Turkey to refrain actions that may escalate tension in the region. “Turkey, which has found fault with Brussels, Iran, Russia and now with the United States and has exacerbated the Kurdish problem, has turned into an embittered lone state”, the military expert said.

Germany has declared Syrian and Iraqi passports issued in territory controlled by the Islamic State group invalid.

Turkey says it will not respect the cease-fire in the case of a threat to its national security, singling out the Kurds as an issue.

Turkey has been shelling the YPG, which operates near its border, fearing the Turkish Kurds (PKK) could get involved as they have sought autonomy for decades.

“Therefore the Russian Air Force is continuing airstrikes against these global terrorist groups’ targets as usual”, clarified Defense Ministry spokesperson Major General Igor Konashenkov.

A monitoring group said that across most of western Syria fighting appeared to have stopped, with isolated incidents of fire in some areas.