Tal Abyad Military Council: US-Turkish patrols to run in coordination with us

Tal Abyad – North-Press Agency

Muhammad Habash / Fayad Muhammad

The co-chairman of Tal Abyad military council Riyad Khamis, said today that the joint patrols that will be run by the US and Turkish forces tomorrow, will be in coordination with the military council of Tal Abyad.

 Khamis added that the People’s Protection Units ( YPG) and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) had withdrawn from the second sector along with their heavy weapons and “joint patrols between the US and Turkey would therefore begin.”

The last batch of the SDF with their heavy weapons in the village of Jendawi (8 km) east of Tel Abyad, had withdrawn, leaving “the second sector” (according to the division of the borders points which were established by the military council) under the control of Tal Abyad military council forces.

The withdrawal of the last batch of the SDF comes in line with the agreement of the “security mechanism” between the US, Turkey and the SDF.

Furthermore, Khamis said that the first phase of the implementation of the “security mechanism” is over, and joint patrols will be conducted in accordance with the agreement, stressing that the Global Coalition is coordinating with the Council to implement the mechanism.

The co-chairman of Tal Abyad military council Riyad Khamis pointed out that the areas from which the SDF and YPG had withdrawn were handed to the military council, to fill the security vacuum, noting that Tal Abyad military council will protect the borders areas in the next stage.