Cautious calm prevails in SDF-controlled areas amid tensions with Turkiye and US-brokered truce

Shafaq News/ A cautious calm has settled in areas controlled by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) amid tensions with Turkiye, following US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's announcement of an extended ceasefire with Turkiye-backed factions until the end of the week.

Turkish forces and their allies, along with the SDF, adhered to a US-brokered ceasefire that took effect at midnight Tuesday-Wednesday.

The artillery fire and mutual shelling, which continued until the final moments before the ceasefire took effect, have now stopped. The ceasefire will be followed by new measures in the city of Kobani (Ayn al-Arab) in the coming hours.

This follows the shelling of Umm al-Keif in western Tal Tamr, which disrupted the city’s electricity substation for the second time this week. The Qarah Qawzaq Bridge area and Bir Hasso village in southern Kobani also came under artillery fire on Tuesday evening.

Earlier, SDF Commander-in-Chief Mazloum Abdi announced his readiness to establish a “demilitarized zone” in Kobani, northern Syria, under US supervision. "This initiative aims to address Turkiye's security concerns and ensure long-term stability in the region,” he wrote on X.

The SDF, predominantly composed of Kurdish fighters from the People’s Protection Units (YPG), has been a critical partner for the US in its efforts to combat ISIS. However, Turkiye considers the YPG a terrorist organization.