US, Turkey launch first joint ground patrol in planned Syria 'safe zone'
CGTN
1568058304000

190909-27.jpg

Turkish and US military vehicles take part in a joint patrol with Turkish troops in the Syrian village of al-Hashisha, September 8, 2019. (Photo: VCG) 

The US and Turkey on Sunday launched joint ground patrols in northeastern Syria, in a bid to reduce tensions between Turkey and US-backed Kurdish forces.

Vehicles with Turkish flags joined those in Syria with US flags some 15 kilometers east of the Turkish border town of Akcakale, near Syria's Tel Abyad. With two military helicopters briefly overhead, they headed south for several hours before returning to Turkey.

The joint ground patrol marks the latest sign of cooperation between the NATO allies under a deal reached between Washington and Ankara. The deal aims to establish a "safe zone" between the Turkish border and the Syrian areas east of the Euphrates river controlled by the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG).

While the YPG was a key partner of Washington in the fight against the ISIL militant group, Turkey regards the YPG as a terrorist group affiliated with the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). Tensions between the US and Turkey have risen in recent years due to Washington's close relations with the YPG. 

"Today's patrol maintained security within the area and demonstrates our continued commitment to address Turkey's legitimate security concerns," said US Army spokesman Colonel Myles B. Caggins.

As the regional fight against ISIL winds down, the prospect of a US military withdrawal has stoked Kurdish fears of another Turkish attack. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has threatened to launch an operation against the YPG in Syria unless progress is made on setting up the safe zone. 

Thorny questions remain over the size and oversight of the safe zone, as well as over the purposes of the joint ground patrols. 

Just hours after the first patrol ended, Erdogan told supporters that "we see at every step that what we want and what they have in mind is not the same thing."  

"It seems that our ally is looking for a safe zone for the terrorist organization, not for us. We reject such understanding," he added.  

The joint operations raised objections from Syria. The Syrian government said on Sunday that the joint US-Turkish patrols were a "flagrant violation" of its sovereignty and "territorial integrity."