Russia-Turkey joint patrols may be expanded in Syria’s north – Turkey
QAMIHSLI, Syria (North Press) – Turkish Minister of Defense Hulusi Akar highlighted on Wednesday the possibility of expanding Turkish-Russian joint patrols in northern Syria in an attempt to maintain security in the region.
Turkish Ministry of Defense said in a statement citing Akar as saying, “We can expand the joint patrols with Russia in (the) north of Syria.”
In December 2022, Akar and the head of the country’s National Intelligence Organization (MIT), Hakan Fidan, met the Syrian Defense Minister, Ali Mahmoud Abbas, and the head of the National Security Bureau of the Ba’ath Party, Ali Mamlouk, in Moscow, in a meeting attended by the Russian Defense Minister, Sergei Shoigu.
The meeting was the first of its kind since the beginning of the Syrian civil war that broke out in 2011, as relations between Turkey and Syria broke out with the start of war.
Following Turkish military operation “Peace Spring” in October 2019 on areas of northeast Syria, which resulted in the occupation of Tel Abyad, north of Raqqa, and Sere Kaniye (Ras al-Ain), north of Hasakah, the Turkish president signed two ceasefire agreements, one with Russia and the other with the US.
The ceasefire agreements stipulated a halt of all hostilities there and the withdrawal of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) 30 kilometers in depth away from the Turkish border in addition to conducting joint patrols with Russia to monitor the implementation of the agreements.
The last Turkish-Russian joint patrol was conducted on Jan. 2 in the western countryside of Kobani.
Akar pointed out that more talks with Russia and Syria may take place, adding that Turkey hopes that such meetings “will continue in a reasonable, logical and successful manner, and the fight against terrorism will be successful.”