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Safe zones, initially established as practical tools for refugee protection, have evolved into diplomatic instruments. Through the case of Northern Syria in a historical-comparative perspective, this article explains the link between border politics and host state-induced return to the safe zones; and questions the viability of return within this politicised environment. Considering the earlier experiences of six cases in Sri Lanka, Iraq, Somalia, Bosnia, Rwanda, and Afghanistan, it shows how safe zones and refugee return have become venues for power struggles, not only between the origin and host states but also amongst regional and global powers; established with respect to their economic, political and strategic interests. The Northern Syrian case is distinguished by Turkey's pressure for returns during the conflict, which makes conditions for return dependent on Turkish military presence. Without international support or a UNSC decision, Turkey's self-proclaimed safe zone lacks international legitimacy, and refugee returns remain dependent on unilateral efforts by the Turkish government. Lack of security, rule of law, access to basic services, reconstruction, and overall prospects undermine the feasibility of safe, voluntary and sustainable returns. And as all actors involved place their military objectives above civilian governance, conditions for security in the safe zone remain precarious. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Standart interventional procedures such as screw instrumentation, aortic arch endovascular surgery and cervical nerve blockade may be of fatal risk due to anatomic reason of variations in the proximal part of the vertebral artery (VA). The aim of this study is to study the VA variations of the extracranial segments to evaluate the frequency of the incident to demonstrate the importance of clinical condition strategy., Methods: The prevalence of variations and morphometric measurements of the VA in three-dimensional computed tomographic angiography (3D-CTA) scans were studied. Total 400 VA was investigated for the aortic arch origin of the VA, diameter of the VA, its level of entry into the transverse foramen, the dominance sides, and related basilar artery course., Results: 3D-CTA radiographs of 200 Anatolian patients (120 men and 80 women with age range 17-90 years). In most cases (approximately 94%), both sides of VA were the first branch of subclavian artery. While all the right VAs was branched from the subclavian artery, 6% of the left VAs were branched from the aortic arch. 2/3 of them originated from the proximal of the subclavian artery and 1/3 from the distal. The VA which were originating from the proximal of the classical anatomic pattern tended to enter the transverse foramen more distally than C6 level. VAs with a different level of entry than C6 are left-sided and aortic arch originated (out of 8 cases 3 had a level of entry at C5 and 2 at C4). The outer diameter ranges of the prevertebral part of the VA of subclavian origin and left VA of aortic arch origin were 3.2-3.6 mm and 3.2-3.6 mm, respectively. While the diameters of the right and left VAs were almost the same in approximately 20% cases, the left VA was dominant in up to 60% of cases. A significant relationship was found between the side of the dominant VA and in the course of the basilar artery., Conclusions: The relationship between the dominant side of VA and the course of the basilar artery of its own vessel has never been reported elsewhere. Such anatomical variations, routine preoperative 3D-CTA evaluation is mandatory to prevent the VA injury when C5-C2 instrumentation, anterior cervical decompression, cervical nerve blockade and aortic arch surgery are planned., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag France SAS, part of Springer Nature.)