APD | Turkish-Russian joint patrol in Syria to begin Friday

By APD writer Aditya Nugraha

ISTANBUL, Oct. 30 (APD) - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday that Turkish-Russian joint patrol in northeastern Syria will begin on Friday after the withdrawal of Syrian Kurdish fighters under an agreement between the two countries.

Announcement on commencement of the joint patrol was made by Erdogan in a speech televised nationwide.

The agreement calls for Turkish and Russian patrols to begin in northeastern Syria after Kurdish militia forces met a nearly four-day deadline that ended Tuesday to pull out from the area.

The deal to divide control of the area between Turkey and Russia was reached last week in the Russian Black Sea resort town of Sochi.

On Tuesday Russian defense minister said that tens of thousands of the Syrian Kurdish fighters had completed their pullout from the area.

Cited his information Erdogan, however, said that the pullout wasn’t fully achieved.

Erdogan added that Turkey will take “the necessary response” to the situation in northeastern Syria after the joint patrol started.

Erdogan emphasized that Turkey reserves the right to carry out its own operation if it finds any Syrian Kurdish forces or if his troops are attacked.

The Kurdish-led forces had been close U.S. allies during a five-year military campaign to oust the Islamic State in Syria.

Earlier this month, U.S. President Trump abruptly announced the withdrawal of U.S. forces from the area, paving the way for the Turkish offensive to Syria.

The Kurds have since sought protection from the Russian and Syrian governments.

(AP)