MOSCOW, October 20. /TASS/. /TASS/. The Turkish army has established control over the Syrian border city of Ras al-Ayn, Al Arabiya reported on Sunday.
According to the television channel, Turkish troops and affiliated Syrian armed opposition groups have gained control over the city of Ras al-Ayn in the Hasakah governorate.
According to SANA news agency, Turkish troops and opposition units fighting against Syria’s government army entered Ras al-Ayn after units of the Syrian Democratic Forces coalition had withdrawn from the city.
Some time ago, the Syrian Democratic Forces, formed around Kurdish armed groups, began to withdraw from Ras al-Ayn heading to the central parts of the Hasakah governorate, as had been agreed by the United States and Turkey.
On October 9, Ankara launched its Peace Spring military operation in northern Syria. The operation is geared to establish a buffer zone in Syria’s northern regions, along the Turkish border, where Syrian refugees could return from Turkey. Syria’s SANA news agency slammed Ankara’s operation as an act of aggression. The world community has condemned Ankara’s actions.
On October 17, the United States and Turkey reached an agreement to suspend combat operation. Turkey agreed to cease fire for a span of 120 hours to give Kurdish units of the Syrian Democratic Forces time to leave the area of the border security zone Ankara is seeking to create.