Halted 20 days | Russian and Turkish forces conduct joint patrol in Al-Hasakah countryside

Al-Hasakah province: Russian forces have conducted a joint military patrol with Turkish forces in the vicinity of Al-Qahtaniyah town north-east of Al-Hasakah.

The joint patrol, comprising eight Turkish and Russian vehicles, set off from Deirna Aghi village. The patrol toured the countryside of Al-Rumailan and Jawadiyah, Sarmsakhi near areas bombarded by Turkish forces two weeks ago amid flying by two Russian helicopters.

This comes after Turkish forces refused to participate in joint patrols in Al-Darbasiyah and Kobani last week.

It is worth noting that this is the first joint patrol in 20 days, as the last joint patrol was on November 17.

On December 1, SOHR sources reported Turkish forces refused to run a joint patrol scheduled to be conducted by Turkish and Russian forces that day in north and east Syria.

According to SOHR sources, four Russian vehicles arrived that morning at Sherik crossing in the west of Al-Darbasiyyah district to start the patrol.

The Russians waited for nearly two hours until the Turkish forces arrived. However, the Russian vehicles returned to Al-Qamishli airbase, after Turkish soldiers had walked to the Russians and informed them that they would run the patrol.

This coincided with the ongoing negotiations between Russia and SDF in Al-Raqqah countryside in order to put an end to Turkish escalation in north-east Syria.

It is worth noting that the latest joint patrol between Russian and Turkish forces was conducted on November 17 when Russian and Turkish forces toured Al-Darbasiyah and Amuda. SOHR sources reported then that the patrol, which comprised four Russian vehicles and four Turkish, set off from the crossing in Sherik village in western Al-Darbasiyah and was escorted by two Russian helicopters.