Russian military police reopen strategic M4 highway in northern Syria

TEL TAMIR, Syria – Russian military police reopened a section of the strategic M4 highway in northern Syria on Monday allowing civilians to travel between Tel Tamir and Manbij for the first time in seven months.

“We have close coordination with Turkey to secure the passage of civilians on the M4 road between Tel Tamir and Ain Issa,” Pavel Karbov, a Russian military official, told Rudaw on Monday.

“Our military convoys will accompany civilians throughout their journey along the M4 highway to provide them with protection,” Karbov added.

The M4 highway stretches from the Syrian border with Iraq’s border town of Rabia in the northeast to Latakia city in Syria’s coastal northwest, passing through Qamishli, Tel Tamir, Ain Issa, Manbij, al-Bab, and Aleppo.

Russian military police accompanied the first convoy of civilians from Tel Tamir to Ain Issa on Monday.

“The road had been closed down in the past. This is an important road for the people and the cities. Things had almost died when the road was closed. Now that the road is reopened, we are happy,” Haji Ahmed, who traveled with the convoy, told Rudaw on Monday.

“I am from Kobane, but moved to Tel Tamir. I am thrilled to be able to go back to Kobane,” he added.

Aboud Hamid, who traveled to Ain Issa on the M4 highway on Monday, told Rudaw: “We are from Kobane city. We work here [Tel Tamir]. The road had been shut down for six to seven months creating a lot of difficulties for us. Because it would take us longer time [to go back to Kobane]. It is now just two hours’ drive. With the help of Russians, we can now commute.” 

The M4 highway was completely closed in October last year after Turkey launched Operation Peace Spring against the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

Ankara planned to establish a so-called safe zone along the Syrian side of the Turkey-Syria border to settle millions of Syrian refugees who had fled to Turkey over the course of Syria’s decade-old civil war.

Turkish forces seized control of Sari Kani (Ras Al-Ain) and Gire Spi (Tal Abyad), but the operation was suspended following international  outcry and the signing of two Turkish agreements with the US and Russia.

Russian military police have been deployed to many northern cities under deals with Turkey and the SDF. 

With reporting by Rangin Sharo in Tel Tamir