The Syrian Kurdish fighters have until 3 p.m. GMT Tuesday to pull back to positions about 30 kilometres from the Turkish border. Turkey and Russia will conduct joint patrols along a border strip once the Kurdish forces leave.

Syrian Kurdish-led forces and Turkey exchanged blame on Saturday for fighting that has rattled a U.S.-brokered cease-fire in northeastern Syria, as the Kurds appealed to Vice-President Mike Pence to enforce the deal.