Syrian army deploys in northern Syria city of Manbij

Syrian government troops have been deployed inside the northern city of Manbij, Syria's state TV said on Tuesday in a broadcast showing residents of Manbij celebrating the arrival of government troops, contradicting a statement made by Turkey-backed Syrian rebels that forces entering Manbij were mostly Kurdish militants.

Youssef Hammoud, spokesman for the Turkey-backed National Army, said that while some Syrian government forces had entered the city, the bulk were Kurdish fighters who had been deployed from the Syrian government-held city of Aleppo.

"The forces that entered Manbij are said to be regime forces but most of them are members of the PYD," he said, in reference to the main Syrian Kurdish party, adding National Army fighters would continue to advance towards Manbij.

Russia, on the other hand, also said in a statement on Tuesday that the Syrian government army has full control over the city of Manbij and nearby settlements controlled by a military council linked to Syria's Kurds.

Syrian forces moved into the area as part of a deal that has seen regime troops deploy in several Kurdish-controlled regions in Syria's north to protect the region from Ankara's assault.

On October 9, Turkey launched a cross-border military offensive on areas that were controlled by the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia, which Ankara regards as a terrorist group with links to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).

The move came after a pullback of U.S. troops from the border area effectively gave Ankara the green light to launch its long-prepared operation.

Home to U.S. outposts set up in 2017 to patrol the frontiers between Turkish-controlled areas and the Kurdish-held side of northern Syria, the flashpoint region of Manbij has become a strategic battleground for Turkish-led Syrian rebel fighters advancing in the area.

Turkey: Erdogan says goal to clear YPG from Manbij unchanged

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan a day earlier said that Turkey would implement its plans to drive Kurdish-led fighters from Manbij and settle Arabs there after Syrian Kurdish officials struck a deal with the Syrian government to confront Ankara's offensive.

"Our agreement with the United States was for the terrorist organizations to clear Manbij in 90 days," he said, referring to the YPG. "However, a year has passed and Manbij has not been cleared."

"When Manbij is evacuated, we, as Turkey, will not go in there. Our Arab brothers, who are the real owners, the tribes... will return there. Our approach is to ensure their return and security there," he added.

Erdogan said the announcement by Washington that it was pulling out 1,000 troops from northern Syria was "a positive approach."

He also welcomed Russia's "positive approach," saying Moscow did not appear to be putting any obstacles in the way of its offensive on another key town, Kobani.

United States: Pence says Trump spoke to Erdogan and asked for immediate ceasefire

On Monday, U.S. President Trump imposed sanctions on Turkey and reiterated that he would pull the remaining U.S. troops out of Syria and redeploy them elsewhere in the region to monitor the situation.

Meanwhile, Vice President Mike Pence said Trump had told Erdogan in a phone to agree to an immediate ceasefire.

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Russia 'will not allow' clashes between Turkey and Syria

The Russian Defence Ministry said Russian forces were continuing to patrol border areas along the "line of contact" between Syrian and Turkish troops.

"Cooperation has been organized with the Turkish side," it said.

Moscow's special envoy on Syria, Alexander Lavrentyev, said Tuesday that it would not allow clashes between Turkish and Syrian forces. "This would simply be unacceptable.... And therefore we will not allow it, of course," he said, adding Turkish and Syrian officials were in contact to avoid any conflict.

"Negotiations are taking place in real-time."

The UN urges Turkey to investigate executions in Syria, warns of humanitarian crisis

The United Nations on Tuesday said it had received video footage and reports showing executions of three Kurdish captives and a Kurdish politician named Hevrin Khalaf, carried out by a Turkey-affiliated armed group, Ahrar al-Sharqiya fighters, on October 12.

The UN human rights office warned that summary executions may amount to war crimes, saying it had also documented civilian casualties caused by airstrikes, ground-based strikes and sniper fire each day since the Turkish offensive began nearly a week ago.

More than 275,000 people, including at least 70,000 children, have been displaced, the region's Kurdish-led authority said on Tuesday.

The spokesperson for UN Secretary-General António Guterres on the same day reported displacement of at least 160,000 civilians and said Guterres calls for the immediate de-escalation and urges all parties to exercise maximum restraint.

The UN Security Council will likely meet on Wednesday to discuss the latest developments in Syria, diplomats said, adding that a closed-door discussion had been requested by the body's five European members – Britain, France, Germany, Belgium and Poland.

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The UK suspends arms exports to Turkey over Syria offensive

The UK Tuesday said it was suspending military exports to Turkey as it reviews arms sales to its NATO ally.

"No further export licenses to Turkey for items which might be used in military operations in Syria will be granted while we conduct that review," British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said in a statement.

NATO worried about effects of offensive on fight against ISIL

NATO is concerned about the consequences of Turkey's military operation on the fight against the ISIL, Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Tuesday.

China urges Turkey to halt military action in Syria and seek political settlement

The Chinese Foreign Ministry on Tuesday called on Turkey to stop its military action in Syria and "come back to the right track" by solving problems through political and diplomatic channels within the framework of international law.

(Cover: A Syrian army soldier is seen in the town of Tel Tamer in northeast Syria, October 14, 2019. /Reuters Photo)