Turkey, Russia to conduct safe zone patrols in N.Syria

Turkey and Russia will start joint military patrols in the safe zone area in Syria, Turkey’s national defense minister said Tuesday.

Turkey and Russia will soon conduct joint military patrols in the safe zone in Syria, Hulusi Akar said.

The intended joint military patrols were planned in a meeting held between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin where also a deal on northern Syria was made on Oct. 22.

On Oct. 9, Turkey launched Operation Peace Spring to eliminate terrorists from northern Syria east of the Euphrates River in order to secure Turkey’s borders, aid in the safe return of Syrian refugees, and ensure Syria’s territorial integrity.

Last week, on Oct. 22, Erdogan and Putin held a meeting in Russia's Black Sea resort town of Sochi.

Ankara and Moscow reached a deal under which YPG/PKK terrorists will pull back 30 kilometers (18.6 miles) south of Turkey’s border with northern Syria within 150 hours, and security forces from Turkey and Russia will conduct joint patrols there.

In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the European Union -- has been responsible for the deaths of 40,000 people, including women, children and infants. The YPG is the Syrian offshoot of the PKK.