ANKARA, Nov 12 (NNN-ANADOLU) – Turkey and Russia started their fourth joint patrol in northern Syria, in al-Darbasiyah region, as part of a deal that stipulates the withdrawal of Syrian Kurdish militia away from Turkey’s border.
“The fourth joint land patrol between Turkish and Russian units began in the al-Darbasiyah region, east of the Euphrates River, with unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) support, as part of the agreement made in Sochi on Oct 22,” said a Turkish Defence Ministry statement.
Turkish and Russian troops previously held joint patrols in the east of Ayn al-Arab and west of Tal Abyad districts, between Qamishli and Derik cities, and in al- Darbasiyah region, in a bid to monitor the withdrawal of the Syrian Kurdish fighters.
On Oct 9, Turkey launched a military incursion, named Operation Peace Spring, into northern Syria, in a bid to drive Kurdish fighters out of the border region, following the pullout of U.S. troops.
On Oct 22, Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, held a meeting in Sochi, Russia, agreeing on the pullout of the YPG fighters to 30 km south of Turkey’s border and the launch of joint patrols between Turkish and Russian soldiers, 10 km from the Turkish border, in an agreed region that excludes the city of Qamishli.– NNN-ANADOLU
