US Effort to Extend SDF Ceasefire With Turkey in Northern Syria Fails

With the four-day ceasefire in the Syrian city of Manbij coming to a close, US mediators’ efforts to convince Turkey to make it a permanent deal have reportedly failed. The expectation is that fighting between the US-backed Kurdish SDF and Turkey and their allies will likely resume soon.

Last week there was major fighting over the city of Manbij. The four-day ceasefire was meant to allow Kurdish fighters and their families to withdraw from the city, as Turkey and their allied factions are looking to reclaim the area.

SDF spokesman Farhad Shami said that the US attempts to extend the deal failed because of Turkey’s “evasion” on key points. Those points were reportedly a desire to withdraw more Kurdish civilians from Manbij and questions about the disposition of the remains of Suleyman Shah.

The SDF and the Kurdish Red Crescent were trying to bring vehicles into Manbij to allow them to evacuate more of the population, but they were prevented from doing so by Turkish-backed militant forces.

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