“The Syrian Arab Republic expresses its strong condemnation and absolute rejection of the incursion of Turkish and US troops in the vicinity of the city of Manbij,” the Foreign and Expatriates Ministry said in a statement to state-run SANA news.
The US and Turkey began “coordinated independent patrol activities… along the demarcation line north of Manbij” on Monday, the US military announced.
The plan is to increase cooperation as part of “the commitment to long-term security and stability in Manbij and the US commitment to NATO ally Turkey,” the US statement continued.
Damascus slammed the move as “continued Turkish and US aggression against the Syrian sovereignty and territorial integrity,” adding that, after recent military victories against rebel forces, the Syrian army is now more determined to remove all foreign troops from the country.
The US has forces in Syria as part of the war against ISIS. Turkish troops have crossed the border to combat ISIS and the Kurdish YPG. Neither nation was invited into the country by the Syrian government.
Maj. Gen. Felix Gedney, deputy coalition commander, said on Twitter that patrols outside of Manbij “are intended to prevent clashes between forces operating in the area” and to ensure ongoing focus on defeating ISIS.
Local officials in Manbij have denied reports that Turkish troops have entered the city, insisting they have not crossed the demarcation line.
The patrols are part of the road map agreed on by Ankara and Washington in order to prevent Turkish aggression against the Kurdish forces, a key US ally in the war against ISIS.
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