Turkey and Russia start second joint patrols in northern Syria
The movement east of the Euphrates River is taking place under the Sochi deal which President Erdogan and President Putin signed amid Operation Peace Spring, Turkey's military action aimed at clearing the border area of the YPG/PKK terror group.
A photo taken from Sanliurfa on Turkey's border shows Turkish and Russian troops gathering in northern Syria on November 5, 2019.
Turkish and Russian troops have started their second joint ground patrols east of the Euphrates River, Turkey’s National Defence Ministry said on Tuesday.
"The second joint land patrol began with the participation of Turkish and Russian military elements and UAVs in the Ayn al Arab region to the east of the Euphrates,” the ministry said on Twitter.
Turkish Armed Forces launched Operation Peace Spring in northeast Syria on October 9.
The patrols fall within the framework of the agreement reached, after the launch of the operation, between the Russian and Turkish presidents in Sochi on October 22, 2019, the ministry tweeted.
Turkish and Russian troops will carry out patrols east of Ayn al Arab and west of Tal Abyad districts.
Within the framework of the agreement reached with the Russian Federation in Sochi on October 22, 2019; the second joint land patrol began with the participation of Turkish and Russian military elements and UAVs in the Ayn al Arab region to the east of the Euphrates.#MSB #TSK pic.twitter.com/2UUZaDV6G3
— T.C. Millî Savunma Bakanlığı (@tcsavunma) November 5, 2019
On November 1, Turkey and Russia military personnel completed the first joint ground patrol, which lasted for four hours.
The patrol took place in northern Syria, 40 kilometres east of Ras al Ayn and 30 km west of Qamishli city.
After the patrol, Turkish military personnel returned to Turkey-Syria borderline.
TRT World's Yasin Eken reports.
Ras al Ayn and Tal Abyad were declared clear of terrorists during Operation Peace Spring.
Turkey said the operation's aim was to eliminate terrorists from northern Syria, east of the Euphrates River, in order to secure Turkish borders and aid the safe return of Syrian refugees.
Ankara wants YPG/PKK terrorists to withdraw from the border region so a safe zone can be created for the return of some two million refugees.
The YPG is the Syrian offshoot of the PKK terrorist organisation.
In PKK's 30-year terror campaign against the Turkish state, more than 40,000 people, including women and children, have been killed.
Turkey, the US and the EU recognise the PKK as a terrorist organisation.
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