ANKARA, June 18 (Xinhua) -- Turkish army on Monday announced the start of patrols in the northern Syrian city of Manbij by the Turkish and U.S. troops.
The Turkish Armed Forces said on Twitter that the patrols were being carried out between Manbij and Turkey's Operation Euphrates Shield area.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan confirmed the launch of the joint patrols late Monday.
Armored vehicles of Turkish army were deployed around Sajur stream which divides Jarablus town and Manbij, reported state-run Anadolu Agency.
The joint forces carried out patrols in an area overlooking the U.S. base in Syria's Dadat town, and the patrols lasted around three hours.
The move came in line with the roadmap on Manbij agreed by Turkey and the United States earlier this month, which focused on the withdrawal of the People's Protection Units (YPG) militants from the northern Syria.
Turkey regards the YPG as the Syrian branch of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), and has long been urging the United States to remove the YPG from Manbij, where about 2,000 U.S. soldiers are currently deployed.
Relations between Turkey and the United States have been strained over Washington's support to the YPG, prompting fears of military clashes in Manbij between the two NATO allies.
