Turkey, US hold second safe zone joint patrols in northern Syria

US and Turkish troops conducted their second joint ground patrol on Tuesday within a planned safe zone in northern Syria, along the Syrian-Turkish border.

A convoy of four armoured Turkish Armed Forces vehicles in the southeastern Sanliurfa province crossed the border and met with a US military convoy to join the joint land patrol.

The Turkish and US forces are set to conduct a land patrol in the Syrian town of Tal Abyad.

US and Turkish troops conducted their first joint ground patrol for the zone on September 9.

On August 7, Turkish and US military officials agreed to set up a safe zone in northern Syria and develop a peace corridor to facilitate the movement of displaced Syrians who want to return home. 

They also agreed to establish a joint operations centre to assist with the safe zone.

Turkey has long championed the idea of terrorist-free safe zones in Syria. 

It has stressed ridding the area of the YPG, as well as resettling Syrian refugees currently sheltered in Turkey.

The US backed the YPG-dominated SDF militia in a battle for Daesh’s last territory in Syria.

The YPG is the Syrian offshoot of the PKK terrorist organisation. 

In its 30-year terror campaign against the Turkish state more than 40,000 people, including children, have been killed.

Turkey, the US and the EU recognise the PKK as a terrorist organisation.