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US faces new facts on the ground as cease-fire expires

Russia and Turkey strike a deal on a safe zone as the Syrian Democratic Forces told the Donald Trump administration that Kurdish forces had withdrawn from the Turkish border today in accord with a US-brokered agreement.
Fighters of Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) take part in the funeral procession of Kurdish fighters who were killed during clashes in the northeastern Syrian town of Ras al-Ain, in the town of Qamishli, Syria October 22, 2019. REUTERS/Muhammad Hamed - RC1405293AB0

The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) told the Donald Trump administration today that Kurdish forces had withdrawn from the Turkish border, keeping pace with a US-brokered agreement to pause Turkey’s incursion into northern Syria for at least five days.

“Today the vice president [Mike Pence] received a letter from [SDF chief] Gen. Mazlum [Kobane] notifying him that all SDF forces have withdrawn from the relevant area of operations,” Katie Waldman, a spokesperson for Pence, told Al-Monitor. 

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