131st Russian-Turkish joint patrol launched in Syria’s Kobani
KOBANI, Syria (North Press) – Russian Military Police (MP) conducted on Monday a joint patrol with the Turkish forces in the western countryside of Kobani, northern Syria.
This is the 131st joint patrol between the two forces in the region since the signing of the Russian-Turkish ceasefire agreement in northeast Syria.
In October 2019, following the so-called Turkish military operation “Peace Spring” in 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 stipulating 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 in order to monitor the implementation of the agreements.
The patrol, which consisted of eight Russian and Turkish military vehicles accompanied by two Russian helicopters, set off from the village of Ashma, 20 km west of Kobani.
The joint patrol roamed the villages of Charqli Fouqani, Jebneh, Bayadiyah, all the way to the village of Zor Maghar, which is located off the city of Jarablus on the eastern bank of the Euphrates River.
Then, it turned back towards the east, and passed through the villages of Bayadiyah, Jebneh, Mishko, Binder, Qaraqoy Tahtani, Qola, Sousan, all the way to the checkpoint of the Internal Security Forces of North and East Syria (Asayish) near the Iza’a (Radio Station), west of the city of Kobani.
The Turkish military vehicles returned to Turkey through the gate near Ashma, while the Russian military vehicles returned to their position near the town of Sirrin south of Kobani.
On March 20, the Russian forces conducted a one-sided patrol without Turkish forces in the eastern countryside of Kobani as the Turkish vehicles were not present at the starting point in the village of Gharib in eastern Kobani.
On March 13, the Russian and Turkish forces conducted the 130th joint patrol in the western countryside of Kobani.