Fighting between the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army and Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces has been ongoing since December [Photo by AAREF WATAD/AFP via Getty Images]
Five people were killed in Turkish shelling around the strategic Tishreen dam on the Euphrates River in northern Syria as fighting between the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and Turkish-backed Syrian National Army (SNA) continues.
The clashes, which lasted two days, also wounded 40 people, according to the health ministry of Autonomous Administration of North East Syria (AANES). The SDF‘s media centre said that the attacks caused damage to the dam.
Among those wounded are journalists Leila Abdi, Hevda Haboun and Dagwar Ali Sher, The New Arab’s sister site Al-Araby Al-Jadeed reported.
The fighting, which has been ongoing since 12 December, has killed a total of 401 people including 292 SNA fighters, 73 SDF fighters and 36 civilians, the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.
PKK offers to withdraw from Syria
Amid the fighting, the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) which Turkey claims is affiliated with the SDF, announced on Thursday that it would withdraw from northeast Syria if the SDF was able to jointly govern the territory.
The SDF has been negotiating with the Syrian transitional government in Damascus over its integration into a united Syria.
“Any initiative resulting in the governance of northeastern Syria under the control of the SDF, or in which they have a significant role in joint leadership, will lead us to agree to leave the region”, a statement from the PKK read.
Turkey has warned that it would act against the SDF if it did not come to an agreement with Damascus. The PKK has been fighting against the Turkish state since 1984, seeking autonomy or independence for its Kurdish population.Â
Ankara has conducted several campaigns against the Kurdish groups which make up the main component of the SDF, saying they are an extension of the PKK.
Germany says Russia must leave Syria
In another development, Germany’s Syria coordinator Tobias Lindner called for Russia to withdraw its forces from Syria and close its bases there, in comments made to Der Spiegel on Thursday.
“When we say that Syria’s territorial integrity must be inviolable, then that applies to all actors, and especially to Russia,” Tobias Lindner told the German magazine, adding: “The Russian bases in Syria must close, and Russia must withdraw its troops.”
Lindner further stressed that Russia, through its backing of the now ousted Assad regime, had waged war on Syria’s people and brought them pain.
However, on whether Syria should terminate agreements regarding Russia’s naval base in Tartous and Khmemiem airbase, Linder said “the decision lies with the Syrians themselves.”Â
Also on Thursday, a statement from the French Presidency said that following discussions with de facto Saudi ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, France would host a conference on Syria on 13 February.
Saudi Arabia and France “reiterated their commitment to supporting a firm and inclusive political transition that respects the rights of all Syrians,” the statement read.
On Friday, EU crisis management chief Hadja Lahbib announce that the EU would send an aid package worth 235 million euros to Syria and its neighbours during a press conference in Damascus, following meetings with Syria’s defacto leader Ahmed al-Sharaa.
“Our funding will contribute to basic needs like shelter, food, clean water, sanitation, healthcare, education and emergencies among others,” Lahbib she said, while reiterating European calls for post-Assad Syria to be inclusive to all Syrians.
