Turkey and Russia have resumed joint military patrols in northern Syria after a year-long hiatus, as announced by the Turkish Defense Ministry. The patrols are taking place in the Operation Peace Spring area, a 30-kilometer strip of land along the Turkey-Syria border captured from Kurdish fighters in 2019. This renewed collaboration between Turkey and Russia comes as Ankara seeks to mend relations with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who is backed by Moscow. Assad has expressed willingness to meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to discuss the withdrawal of Turkish troops from Syria and an end to Ankara’s support for Syrian fighters deemed terrorists by Damascus.
Turkish and Russian troops had initially conducted joint operations in the region from 2019 to 2020, with 344 patrols completed before being paused. The resumed patrols aim to enhance border security, protect civilians, and establish stability in northern Syria, while also targeting Kurdish fighters associated with the YPG, which Turkey views as a terrorist organization. The US’s support for the YPG has strained relations between Turkey and the US, both members of NATO.
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