Russian military police conducted their first patrol in northern Syria Wednesday in accordance with the memorandum of cooperation signed between Russia and Turkey, the Russian Defense Ministry announced.

Russian military police began to patrol in northern Syria under a deal between Ankara and Moscow that requires PKK/YPG members to withdraw from a planned safe zone.

“Today, the Russian military police have begun to patrol the approved area in northern Syria in accordance with the memorandum of cooperation between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Turkey signed in Sochi on October 22,” Russia’s Defense Ministry stated in a statement.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reached a deal on joint actions in northeastern Syria On October 22. According to the document, as of noon October 23, Russian military police and Syrian border guards have started to monitor the withdrawal of Kurdish military formations to the depth of 30 km from the border.

Turkey launched “Operation Peace Spring” on Oct. 9 to remove YPG/PKK members from northern Syria in order to establish a safe zone for Syrians return in the area east of the Euphrates River. (ILKHA)