Turkish army conducts 10th round of patrols in Manbij

ANKARA

The Turkish military on July 6 completed its 10th round of patrols in the northern Syrian city of Manbij as part of a deal with the U.S. to rid the area of the Syrian Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG).

The two countries’ forces conducted separate coordinated patrols in the western side of the area, the Turkish General Staff said in a message on its official Twitter account.

The first patrols by both Turkish and U.S. troops in the region began on June 18.

The Manbij roadmap between Turkey and the U.S. focuses on the withdrawal of the YPG from the city towards the east of The Euphrates River.

Turkey sees the YPG as an offshoot of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which is listed as a terrorist organization both by the U.S. and the European Union.

Should the Manbij model prove to be a success, Turkey will push for a similar arrangement in eastern Syria, state-run Anadolu Agency reported on June 6.

Turkey has said “the presence of terror forces near its border constitute a threat” and has taken the al-Bab and Afrin regions in northwest Syria under control.