Mazloum Abdi, the commander of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), said on Thursday that if the US does not stop the Turkish cross-border offensive on areas east the Euphrates and fulfill its commitments to protect the land and its people, “we will consider their position as a betrayal. Yes, a betrayal to the Kurdish people and a betrayal to the people of northeast Syria.”
In an interview broadcasted on Kurdish-language Ronahi TV, Abdi said that few days ago, US President Donald Trump and high-ranking US officials spoke with him on the phone and promised to speak with Erdogan and stop the war.
“I call on President Trump to fulfill his promise," Kobani said.
"I want him to stay committed to his words."
The commander of Kurdish-led forces in Syria said they will abide by a cease-fire agreement announced in Turkey by US Vice President Mike Pence, but his comments suggested a smaller “safe zone” than Ankara has demanded, underscoring the ambiguities in the American-Turkish deal.
He said the extent of the ceasefire stretches about 100 kilometers along the middle of the border, between the towns of Tal Abyad and Ras al-Ayn, the same region where Turkey has largely made its gains in nine days of fighting.
“We hope that this ceasefire will be successful, and we will do our best to make it successful,” Abdi said Thursday, describing it as a “tentative agreement.”
He said Trump did not object to an agreement between his forces and the Syrian government to prevent Turkey's operation in north Syria.
Last week, Turkey launched its operation against north Syria after Trump pulled out US soldiers in northeast the country.
The Kurds turned to Russia and Damascus for help as they felt abandoned by Washington.