Joint Turkish and Russian patrols to begin in Syrian region

SEVIMLI, Turkey – Turkey and Russia are set to begin joint patrols in northeastern Syria under a deal that halted a Turkish offensive against Syrian Kurdish fighters who were forced to withdraw from the border area following Ankara’s incursion.

The patrols will cover two sections, with a depth of 10 kilometres, or 6 miles. Turkish troops and allied Syrian opposition fighters now control the border towns of Tal Abyad, Ras al-Ayn and nearby villages. The deal excludes the city of Qamishli.

Turkey last month invaded northeastern Syria to push out Syrian Kurdish fighters whom it considers terrorists with links to a Kurdish insurgency inside Turkey.

Two ceasefire agreements —brokered by the United States and Russia— require that the Kurdish fighters withdraw 30 kilometres, or about 19 miles, away from the border.