D onald Trump heralded this week’s ceasefire deal in northeastern Syria as “a great job ... and something very special”. Turkish president Erdogan called it “historic”. Vladimir Putin said it was “substantive” and “important”.

But on both sides of the battle lines in the country’s northeast, there are growing fears that of all the players in the conflict, it was the Syrians who came out as the losers.

“Unfortunately, the winners are US, Turkey and Russia, and the price will be paid by the Syrian people,” said Mahmoud, an Arab resident of Tal Abyad, a town at the heart of the fighting along the Turkish-Syrian border.

He told The Independent that like him, many within the non-Kurdish population of northeast Syria had tentatively supported Turkish troops and their Syrian rebel allies when they launched their offensive against the Kurds two weeks ago. But that has changed since Erdogan and Putin revealed the details of the agreement, which could see significant territorial gains for Syrian government forces in the former Kurdish areas and joint Turkish-Russian patrols of the border.

“There are many worries about [Bashar] al-Assad’s forces entering the area with the Russians and taking control over the region, which would be a disaster,” he continued.

Turkey launches offensive into Syria Show all 25 1 /25 Turkey launches offensive into Syria Turkey launches offensive into Syria Turkish soldiers with armored vehicles EPA Turkey launches offensive into Syria A woman flees with her children during Turkish bombardment on Syria's northeastern town of Ras al-Ain AFP/Getty Turkey launches offensive into Syria Smoke billows following Turkish bombardment on Syria's northeastern town of Ras al-Ain in the Hasakeh province along the Turkish border on October 9, 2019. - Turkey launched an assault on Kurdish forces in northern Syria with air strikes and explosions reported along the border. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced the start of the attack on Twitter, labelling it "Operation Peace Spring". (Photo by Delil SOULEIMAN / AFP) (Photo by DELIL SOULEIMAN/AFP via Getty Images) DELIL SOULEIMAN AFP/Getty Turkey launches offensive into Syria The first group of Turkish infantry prepare to enter Syria on the border Getty Turkey launches offensive into Syria Civilians flee AFP/Getty Turkey launches offensive into Syria Smoke billows from targets inside Syria AP Turkey launches offensive into Syria Turkish armoured vehicles enter Syria in Akcakale Getty Turkey launches offensive into Syria Civilians leave as smoke rises from Ras al-Ain AFP Turkey launches offensive into Syria A multi-rocket launcher fires in an unknown location Turkish Defence Ministry via Reuters Turkey launches offensive into Syria People wave as Turkish soldiers prepare to cross the border Getty Turkey launches offensive into Syria Girls stand together in Ras al Ain town Reuters Turkey launches offensive into Syria A woman walks as smoke billows following Turkish bombardment in Syria's northeastern town of Ras al-Ain AFP/Getty Turkey launches offensive into Syria A Turkish army's tank drives down from a truck towards the border with Syria AFP/Getty Turkey launches offensive into Syria Turkish jet taxis on tarmac after returning to a military base in southeast Diyarbakir Reuters Turkey launches offensive into Syria A Turkish armored vehicle drives down a road during a military operation in Kurdish areas of northern Syria EPA Turkey launches offensive into Syria People sit on belongings at a back of a truck as they flee Ras al Ain town Reuters Turkey launches offensive into Syria Turkey-backed Syrian opposition fighters enter Tel Abyad AFP/Getty Turkey launches offensive into Syria Civilians flee AFP/Getty Turkey launches offensive into Syria People flee Tal Abyad North Press Agency/Reuters TV Turkey launches offensive into Syria People wave as Turkish soldiers prepare to cross the border into Syria Getty Turkey launches offensive into Syria Civilians flee with their belongings AFP/Getty Turkey launches offensive into Syria Civilians flee during Turkish bombardment on Syria's northeastern town of Ras al-Ain in the Hasakeh province along the Turkish border on October 9, 2019. - Turkey launched a broad assault on Kurdish-controlled areas in northeastern Syria today, with intensive bombardment paving the way for an invasion made possible by the withdrawal of US troops. (Photo by Delil SOULEIMAN / AFP) (Photo by DELIL SOULEIMAN/AFP via Getty Images) DELIL SOULEIMAN AFP/Getty Turkey launches offensive into Syria Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, right, speaks with Defense Minister Hulusi Akar, left, as they watch the operation by Turkish forces in Kurdish areas EPA Turkey launches offensive into Syria Smoke rises from the Syrian town of Tal Abyad AFP/Getty Turkey launches offensive into Syria Turkey-backed members of Syrian National Army prepare for moving to Turkey with heavy armed vehicles EPA

“From the Kurdish side, there are fears of Turkey not allowing Kurds to return home, about a change in the demographics of the area.”

“We all feel the international community is only interested in their interests even if the price is our lives,” he added.

Mahmoud's bitterness was echoed by Turkish-backed Syrian rebels who spearheaded Turkey’s controversial incursion into northern Syria.

“The agreement is not as good as we hoped for,” said one Syrian National Army fighter speaking from the frontline town of Ras al-Ayn. He asked to remain anonymous, fearing for his life.

“This is not what we fought for. Yes, I’m very worried,” he told The Independent.

Two weeks ago, Turkey launched a cross-border offensive to repel Syrian Kurdish forces it regards as a terrorist for its links to Turkish insurgent group the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).

Erdogan also hopes to build a “safe zone” to repatriate hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees currently in Turkey.

More than 176,000 people have been displaced and about 500 Isis militants have broken free from detention centres during the two-week long conflict.

Outgunned, the Kurds, who had been Washington’s closest ally in the battle against Isis, were forced to relinquish hundreds of kilometres of land including the strategic border towns of Ras al-Ayn and Tal Abyad.

They had counted on support from the US but just days before the operation began, Trump was accused of green-lighting the offensive by announcing that US troops would pull back and not hinder the imminent attack.

And so, the Kurds struck a last-minute deal with President Bashar al-Assad, who sent government troops into northeastern Syria for the first time in five years.

The US imposed sanctions on Turkey, a key Nato ally, while other countries including the UK cancelled weapons contracts with Ankara. Rights groups released reports that Turkish-led forces had likely committed war crimes including indiscriminate strikes and execution-style killings of Kurdish politicians.

But the embarrassing Nato fracture appeared to come to an end on Wednesday when Trump said he would lift the punitive measures on Turkey as it had agreed to a permanent ceasefire.

Under the deal outlined by Russia the day before, the Kurds would withdraw past a 30km buffer zone along the Turkish border. Syrian government “border guards” would be deployed with Russia military police to ensure this. Turkey and Russia would run join patrols at 10km.

“Countless lives are now being saved as a result of our negotiations with Turkey,” Trump said from the White House on Wednesday, taking credit for the agreement.

It is “an outcome reached without spilling one drop of American blood”, he added.

But back in Syria many began to worry.

Mazloum Abdi, the commander-in-chief of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, thanked Trump and Putin for the assistance in brokering the truce. However, he also “expressed reservations about some items of the agreement” without elaborating.

Panicked members of the Kurdish autonomous administration are expected to meet Russian officials soon to express their fears about some of terms. No one would go into details.

Among the most contentious parts for the Kurds is Ankara’s plan to repatriate Syrian refugees in Turkey to northeast Syria, changing the demographics of the area.

Another sticking point is likely to concern Kurdish fighters evacuating the commercial hub of Manbij, which is home to some 300,000 people and is located just 30km from the border.

“Until now no one has explained to us what will happen to cities on the borderlines, and how the Syrian army will be deployed,” Akram, a Kurdish reporter near Manbij, told The Independent.

“Will the regime take back control? What would happen to the autonomy we have?”

He said the Kurds were also concerned about the behaviour of pro-Turkish forces who have been accused by rights groups of committing war crimes including summary executions.

“All the Kurdish forces withdrawing stirs fear in us, what will the pro-Turkish forces do?” he asked.

Ahmed, who works with the Kurdish Red Crescent and asked that his real name be withheld, raised concerns about local medical personnel who have worked closely with the international coalition fighting Isis and foreign NGOs that are not recognised by the regime.

“Assad regime’s security branches are likely to assassinate many people here since we are accused of treason for dealing with a foreign country and the international coalition,” he said.

Ahmed also works at Roj displaced camp, which is home to at least 950 foreign affiliates of Isis including ex-Briton Shamima Begum, one of a trio of girls from Bethnal Green in east London who joined Isis.

He was worried about who would take over the Isis camps and prisons.

These fears were also echoed in Qamishli, a Kurdish border town. It is home to several key Isis detention centres, including a prison holding former British citizen Jack Letts or “Jihadi Jack”.

British citizen Jack Letts ‘Jihadi Jack’ is being held in a Kurdish-run Qamishli prison that now has an uncertain future (ITV) (ITV News)

Under the agreement, Kurdish forces would have to vacate the city but Turkish troops are not permitted to patrol, leaving only the regime.

“Here the Kurdish government used to run everything: the schools, the administration, the camps, the prisons – what will happen when they have to leave?” Sara, a Kurdish resident, asked.

“The other big fear here is compulsory military conscription into the government army, we are worried about our young men, our boys,” she added.

On the other side of the conflict in Ras al-Ayn, and Tal Abyad, Turkish-backed Syrian rebels and their supporters also voiced fears since they say they are considered “the enemies of the Syrian government”.

“This is a victory for Turkish diplomacy, but we are worried about control of the regime and [its allies] Iranian militias over the eastern region. This was not stipulated in the agreement with Russia,” one pro-Turkey Syrian fighter said.

Donald Trump announces he will remove sanctions on Turkey over Syria conflict

Outside Tal Abyad, Mahmoud summed it up.

“These countries sing human rights slogans but only care about their own good,” he said.