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By APD writer Aditya Nugraha
In a bid to ease tension between Turkey and the United States-backed Kurdish forces, the two nations began their joint patrols in northeastern Syria region on Sunday.
Turkey and the United States agreed on August 7 to establish a safe zone located between Syrian Euphrates River, which is controlled by US-backed Kurdish People’s Protection Unit (YPG) militia, and Turkish border.
Turkey considers the group a terrorist organization, has repeatedly threatened to launch an offensive to drive them back from the border. YPG and US team up to fight against IS in Syria.
The joint patrol were marked with entrance of Six Turkish armored vehicles into Syria through an opening in the concrete wall erected between the two countries as two helicopters flew overhead. Drones will also be used in the joint patrols, Turkey Defense Ministry.
Differences between Turkey and US have emerged as to how far the joint patrol be conducted in Syria territory after the two forces set up an operation center to oversee the safe zone.
Turkey President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said 32 kilometers has been promised by US president related to that, but it has yet to be confirmed by US administration so far.
"We are negotiating with the US for the safe zone but we see at every step that what we want and what they have in mind is not the same thing," he said to raise a new doubt about the deal in hours after the patrols commenced.
Erdogan said that US was likely only looking for safe zone for YPG, not for Turkey. “We reject such understanding,” he added.
Syrian government condemned the joint patrols, saying that it is an aggression in every sense of the word. The government withdrew from the area after a civil war broke in 2011.
(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)
