2nd Russian military delegation due in Turkey today

By Sena Guler

ANKARA (AA) – A second Russian military delegation is set to visit Turkish capital on Friday to discuss tactical and technical issues under a Syria deal between Turkey and Russia reached last month.

“As part of the agreement reached with the Russian Federation on October 22, 2019 in Sochi, [Russia], the second Russian Military Delegation was planned to come to Ankara today to discuss the tactical and technical issues,” Turkey’s National Defense Ministry said on Twitter.

The first Russian delegation visited Turkey on Oct. 28 after Ankara and Moscow reached a deal on Oct. 22 under which YPG/PKK terrorists would 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 would conduct joint patrols there. The 150-hour period ended on Tuesday.

The deal came after Turkey launched Operation Peace Spring on Oct. 9 to eliminate terrorists from northern Syria east of the Euphrates River in order to secure Turkey’s borders, and ensure safe return of Syrian refugees. The operation was also meant to safeguard Syria’s territorial integrity.