Russia, Turkey see stabilization in N. Syria: Official

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) – Russia and Turkey achieved stabilization in northern Syria under a bilateral deal, Russia’s presidential envoy for Syria said on Wednesday.

The situation is improving in the civil war-weary country thanks to the implementation of the Russia-Turkey deal on Syria, Alexandre Lavrentyev told reporters in the Kazakh capital Nur-Sultan on the sidelines of a regular meeting of the Astana peace talks on Syria.

"The situation in northeastern Syria in the wake of the implementation of the Russia-Turkey memorandum was discussed at the meeting in Nur-Sultan.

“We see stabilization in northeastern Syria. I think the Russian and Turkish sides are satisfied with the development of the situation," he said.

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.

On Oct. 22, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin signed a deal under which YPG/PKK terrorists will pull back 30 kilometers (18.6 miles) south of Turkey’s border with northern Syria, and security forces from Turkey and Russia will conduct joint patrols 10 km (6.2 miles) from the Turkish border.

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.