Russian-Turkish joint patrol roams Syria’s Kobani
KOBANI, Syria (North Press) – Russian Military Police (MP) conducted on Tuesday a joint patrol with the Turkish forces in the eastern countryside of Kobani, northern Syria.
This is the 139th 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.
Russian-Turkish joint patrols are always launched on Monday of each week, but this week it was postponed due to Turkish presidential elections that took place on Sunday, according to a Russian officer in the patrol.
The patrol, which consisted of eight Russian and Turkish military vehicles accompanied by two Russian helicopters, set off from the village of Gharib, 15 km east of Kobani.
The patrol passed the villages of Qaramogh, Jishan, Kharabisan Tahtani, Baghdik reaching the village of Khanek (Banderkhan) in the western countryside of Tel Abyad.
After that the patrol returned to its starting point in Gharib.
The Turkish military vehicles returned to Turkey through the gate near Gharib, while the Russian military vehicles returned to their position near the town of Sirrin, south of Kobani.
On May 22, the Russian and Turkish forces conducted the 138th joint patrol in the western countryside of Kobani.