23 Oct 2019 17:00

Syria to install 15 border posts along border with Turkey - Russian Defense Ministry

MOSCOW. Oct 23 (Interfax) - Syria will install 15 border guard posts along the border with Turkey, according to a map published by the Russian Defense Ministry on Wednesday.

The Syrian border guard posts are being created under a memorandum of understanding previously approved by the presidents of Russia and Turkey.

The Syrian border guard posts are being created outside the area of the Turkish Operation Peace Spring, according to the map.

In particular, five Syrian border guard posts will be installed west of the Turkish operation area, near the populated area of Kobani. Syria will install ten border guard posts east of the Turkish operation area up to the Iraqi border, in particular, near the populated areas of Derbisia, Qamishli, and Derik.

A 10 km area of joint Russian-Turkish patrolling, which includes Syrian border guard posts, is stated on the map.

In addition, the Russian Defense Ministry's map contains the area of withdrawal of the Kurdish units and their weapons from the Syrian-Turkish border with a range of up to 30 km.

A memorandum was earlier adopted at the talks between the presidents of Russia and Turkey in Sochi. Under the document, "starting 12.00 noon on October 23, 2019, Russian military police and Syrian border guards will enter the Syrian side of the Turkish-Syrian border, outside the area of Operation Peace Spring, to facilitate the removal of [Kurdish People's Protection Units] YPG elements and their weapons to a range of 30 km from the Turkish-Syrian border, which should be finalized in 150 hours."

"At that moment, joint Russian-Turkish patrols will start in the west and the east of the area of Operation Peace Spring with a range of 10 km," the memorandum said.

The Turkish military operation in northeastern Syria is ending, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said following the talks between the leaders of Russia and Turkey in Sochi on Tuesday.

The presidents of Russia and Turkey did not discuss the timeframe of further stay of the Turkish units in the current Operation Peace Spring area, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said on Tuesday.

Russia will need to engage extra military hardware for patrolling the Syrian-Turkish border area, Shoigu said.