Turkey, US conduct safe zone joint patrols in N.Syria

By Hakan Copur

WASHINGTON (AA) - U.S. and Turkish troops conducted their first ever joint ground patrol on Sunday within the safe zone along the Syrian-Turkish border and northern Syria.

"Today's patrol maintained security within the area and demonstrates our continued commitment to address Turkey's legitimate security concerns," said Col. Myles B. Caggins, spokesman for the coalition against Daesh.

Caggins said the operation aimed to keep the YPG away from Turkey's border.

Caggins, however, did not go into details on when or how the PKK and YPG "voluntarily" abandoned the area.

He also said that during this process, the Coalition and the Syrian democratic forces (SDF), the main backbone of the PKK and YPG, will continue to remain focused on achieving the enduring defeat of Daesh.

Turkey's Defense Ministry in a statement on the subject added that the joint land and air patrols would continue over the next few days.

On Aug. 7, Turkish and U.S. military officials agreed to set up a safe zone in northern Syria and develop a peace corridor to facilitate the movement of displaced Syrians who want to return home. They also agreed to establish a joint operations center.

In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the EU -- has been responsible for the deaths of some 40,000 people, including women, children and infants. The YPG is its Syrian offshoot.