Turkey and Russia to begin joint patrols in 7 km wide area south of the border with Syria – Erdogan.

Axar.az reports citing foreign media that the presidents of the two countries previously agreed upon the terms of the withdrawal of Syrian Kurds from the northern part of the Arab Republic and on mechanisms to ensure they won't return.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has announced that Russia and Turkey will start joint patrols of a 7 km-wide area around a safe-zone in northern Syria on 1 November. He also added that the safe-zone, previously negotiated with the US, could be widened, if Kurdish attacks on Turkey continue.

The Turkish president noted his country sees that the withdrawal of the Kurdish militia from the Syrian border under the agreement with Russia has not been completed and warned that a new military operation against the YPG forces could be launched by Ankara if the situation doesn't change.

Erdogan's statements contradict ones made by Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu, who announced on 29 October that the pull-out of the Kurdish militia from the safe zone in northeastern Syria had been completed ahead of schedule.