Heavy fighting persists in northeast Syria despite Turkey and Russia agreeing to jointly patrol areas along the Syrian border, Kurdish officials say.
Patrols of the zone to the east and the west of the portion under Turkish control — carved out in a— were to begin Tuesday, but Reuters reported that Erdogan later said the start would be held off until Friday.
While Russia had assured Turkey the YPG had left the area with the agreement, Erdogan told lawmakers Wednesday there was still evidence that the militia had not completed its pullout. Turkey considers the YPG an extension of the Kurdistan Workers' Party or the PKK, deemed a terrorist organization by both Turkey and the U.S., and Erdogan said his forces reserved the right to launch another cross-border offensive against the militia.
While there is a risk of escalation, Russia's influence over both Turkey and Syrian governments will help ensure the region remains relatively stable, Ahmet Kasim Han, professor of international relations at the Altinbas University in Istanbul, told NBC News.
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