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Turkey and Russia Launch Joint Patrols in Syria

VOA News

   Turkey and Russia have held their first round of joint patrols in Syria
   as part of a deal that forced Kurdish forces away from Turkey's border.

   The patrols began Friday near the border town of Derbasiyeh, where
   Kurdish fighters have already pulled out.

   The Turkish Defense Ministry said an initial patrol covered an area 87
   kilometers long and 10 kilometers wide and said, "The first joint
   patrol was completed as planned." The Russian Defense Ministry said the
   joint patrol included nine military vehicles, protected by an armored
   personnel carrier.

   The patrols follow an agreement that Russia and Turkey signed last
   week, which gave Kurdish forces 150 hours to withdraw from territory
   along Syria's border with Turkey.

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