Turkey announced on Saturday that Turkish troops in northern Syria completed a 10th round of joint patrols with Russia as part of a deal reached in October.
“Turkish and Russian units have completed their tenth joint land patrol according to plan in the Ras Al Ayn – Qamishli sector east of the Euphrates, with four vehicles each and accompanying UAVs [unmanned aerial vehicles],” the Turkish Ministry of National Defence said on Twitter.
The first joint ground patrols took place on November 1 near the Ras Al Ayn and Qamishli regions east of the Euphrates River.
On Wednesday, the ninth patrols were carried out in the Ayn Al Arab region.
Turkey on October 9 launched Operation Peace Spring to eliminate YPG/PKK terrorists from northern Syria in order to secure Turkey’s borders, aid in the safe return of Syrian refugees, and ensure Syria’s territorial integrity.
Ankara wants YPG/PKK terrorists to withdraw from the region so a safe zone can be created to pave the way for the safe return of some two million refugees.
On October 22, Ankara and Moscow reached a deal under which YPG/PKK terrorists would pull back 30 km south of Turkey’s border with Syria, and security forces from Turkey and Russia will mount joint patrols there.
In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organisation by Turkey, the US and the European Union – has been responsible for the deaths of 40,000 people, including women, children, and infants.
The YPG is the PKK’s Syrian offshoot.
Discussion about this post