{"id":51356,"date":"2018-09-23T17:30:44","date_gmt":"2018-09-23T17:30:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/uncategorized\/2018\/09\/23\/turkey-says-it-will-patrol-manbij-in-syrias-north-with-us-forces\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T10:19:45","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T10:19:45","slug":"turkey-says-it-will-patrol-manbij-in-syrias-north-with-us-forces","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/flashpoints\/2018\/09\/23\/turkey-says-it-will-patrol-manbij-in-syrias-north-with-us-forces\/","title":{"rendered":"Turkey says it will patrol northern Syria town of Manbij with US forces"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

ISTANBUL \u2014 Turkey will soon conduct joint patrols with U.S. forces<\/a> in the strategic northern Syrian town of Manbij, once a stronghold of the Islamic State group, a top Turkish official said on Friday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The announcement came as Turkey\u2019s Defense Ministry said in a Friday statement that the borders of Idlib\u2019s demilitarized zone<\/a> were determined in a meeting with their Russian counterparts during a three-day meeting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This week’s agreement between Russia and Turkey to set up a demilitarized zone around Syria’s northwestern Idlib province to separate government forces from rebels averted a government offensive on the last major opposition stronghold in the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Syrian government and Turkey-backed opposition groups welcomed the Russian-Turkish agreement<\/a>, which calls for setting up the demilitarized zone by mid-October. Jihadi groups, including al-Qaida-linked fighters, rejected the deal saying they will not withdraw from the demilitarized zone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A team of U.S. soldiers walk to a coordination point during an independent, coordinated patrol outside Manbij, Syria, on Aug. 19, 2018. During the patrols, U.S. forces travel between several coordination points along the demarcation line to help provide security and stability in the area. These patrols are conducted by U.S. and Turkish forces on opposite sides of the demarcation line. (Sgt. Nicole Paese\/Army)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Ibrahim Kalin, Turkey’s presidential spokesman, said Turkish armed forces and intelligence agencies were coordinating with their Russia counterparts to determine how to remove terror groups from the demilitarized zone, or “pacify” them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He said all necessary steps would be taken to ensure no terror elements remain in the area or near Turkey’s border be it “through persuasion, by pacifying, or other methods.” Kalin added that the goal is to protect civilians in Idlib as well as the moderate opposition to ensure they are part of the political process to resolve the Syrian crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\t