The Russian and Turkish military conducted joint patrols in the province of Hasakah near the city of Qamishli, inhabited by Kurds, in northeastern Syria. It has already become the 222nd after the signing in 2019 of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Turkey.
Turkey has erected a concrete wall on the border with Syria to combat smuggling and illegal migration. It stretches for hundreds of kilometers. The fence consists of concrete blocks 2m wide and 3m high plus barbed wire. A whole system of electronic surveillance has been installed along the entire line.
The 85-kilometer joint patrol route starts from the border checkpoint. The convoy includes two Russian army Tigr armored vehicles, a Typhoon high-security vehicle and an armored personnel carrier, as well as four Turkish Kirpi armored vehicles. The equipment of the two countries is mixed in a column one after another at a certain speed and interval.
The civilian population, especially children, willingly greet the military.
Previously, militants operated on this highway, and thanks to Russian-Turkish patrols, the road has again become calm and free for civilian traffic.
For the Turkish side, joint patrols make it possible to ensure the security of their border areas. The mission of the Russian military is to maintain the territorial integrity of Syria, check the condition of important roads and identify illegal armed groups.
“During the patrol, the settlements were inspected, the routes of security threats were not identified. The civilian population met the convoy in a friendly manner, I want to note that the Russian military personnel showed great skill, and Russian equipment once again confirmed its high reliability, ”said Igor Smolii, a representative of the Center for the Reconciliation of Warring Parties in Syria.
In 2017, a de-escalation zone was created in northwestern Syria. Since March 6, 2020, a ceasefire has been in effect there after the agreements reached between Russia and Turkey, but terrorists regularly violate the truce. Turkey has carried out three military operations in northern Syria since 2017.
Russia and Turkey agreed on joint actions to resolve the situation in the northeastern regions of Syria. Russian military police and Syrian military personnel were brought into areas bordering the zone of the Turkish operation, Kurdish formations were given 150 hours to free the 30-kilometer zone from the border with Turkey. The withdrawal of Kurdish units took place in accordance with the agreements, Turkey and Russia began joint patrols.
Source: IZ
Jane Stock is a technology author, who has written for 24 Hours World. She writes about the latest in technology news and trends, and is always on the lookout for new and innovative ways to improve his audience’s experience.
