Turkey says its forces capture 18 Syrian soldiers in Syria

Turkish military forces captured 18 Syrian government soldiers in rastern Syria, Turkey’s defense minister said Thursday, in one of most dramatic examples of an increasingly muddled battleground following withdrawal of U.S. forces from area.

Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said soldiers were captured during Turkish reconnaissance operations souast of Ras al-Ayn but didn’t say when. Ankara was alrey in talks with Russia to hand over Syrian soldiers, he ded. Akar spoke during a visit to Turkish troops at border with Syria. His comments were carried on official ministry website.

A Syrian Kurdish official said soldiers were captured Tuesday during an intense battle between Syrian government forces and Turkey-backed fighters. Kurdish fighters were fighting alongside Syrian troops. official spoke on condition of anymity because he was t authorized to brief reporters.

Late Thursday, Russia Today TV reported that Turkey handed over 18 soldiers in an operation mediated by Moscow. station showed a video of Syrian soldiers, most of m in uniform, boarding what appeared to be a Russian helicopter. A couple of soldiers were in civilian clos and seemed injured. re were more details were available of handover.

Turkey agreed to a cease-fire brokered by Russia in which Kurdish fighters would withdraw 30 kilometers (19 miles) away from Turkish border. As part of deal, Syrian government forces would take positions along frontier.

In a wide-ranging interview late Thursday, Syrian President Bashar Ass described Russian-Turkish deal as “good” and a temporary arrangement. He said with deal Moscow has mand to reign in Turkish aspirations to seize more Syrian lands and outmaneuvered Washington. deal also prevented bringing in international forces to Syria’s rast.

“It does t achieve everything, in sense that it will t pressure Turks to leave immediately,” Ass said. “However, it limits dam and paves way for liberation of this region in future, or immediate future, as we hope.”

Ass said Russia also preceded cease-fire deal with Turkey with an agreement with Syria’s Kurdish group that grually restores state authority to area after seven years. Syrian troops h pulled out of rast in 2012, leaving it to Kurdish group to minister. Kurdish group h n allied with U.S. forces to fight Islamic State militants — and set up a self-ministration that controls nearly 30 percent of Syria, including country’s largest oil and gas resources.

Earlier this month, U.S. President Donald Trump ordered US troop withdrawal from rth, making way for a Turkish military offensive re. He said he wanted out of America’s “endless wars” but would leave U.S. troops in region to secure oil facilities.

Ankara views Syrian Kurdish fighters as an extension of deces-long Kurdish insurgency in souastern Turkey. But Washington has partnered with those Kurdish-led forces to fight IS over last five years, putting in a difficult spot between its NATO ally and battleground partners.

Kurdish forces leaned on Russia and Syrian government to protect m against vancing Turkish forces. But Turkey seized a stretch of land across border before U.S. negotiated an initial cease-fire.

“Of course, Syrian Army cant be deployed only to carry out purely security or military acts,” Ass said. “But certainly, Syrian Arab Army will reach se areas simultaneously with full public services, which means return of full state authority. ”

Ass said state authority would have to be restored grually because re are armed groups that still have to be disarmed.

“We do t expect m to hand ir weapons immediately,” Ass said. A day earlier, Syrian government called on Kurdish groups to join official military. But Kurdish group, which is seeking a degree of self-rule, said re has to be a dialogue with Damascus first.

In ar sign of changing battleground, U.S. forces said first batch of mechanized armored vehicles arrived in souast Syria on Thursday, where y are to take part in securing oil fields and fighting remnants of Islamic State group. U.S.-led Coalition spokesman Col. Myles Caggins said first batch of Brley armored infantry carriers arrived in Deir el-Zour Province and will provide infantry with maneuverability and firepower. He said deployment is “de-conflicted” with or forces operating in region.

province is home to some of Syria’s largest oil fields. It is also where IS militants continue to w an insurgency and where y lost ir last territory in March.

Ass said his forces would t clash with U.S. forces, if Kurdish group united with state against American presence, “I assure you that Americans will leave on ir own accord.”

For much of Syrian war that broke out in 2011, Turkey has offered financial and logistical backing for Syrian opposition that worked to bring Ass’s government down. Ankara has also carried out three military operations into Syria and w controls territory in rthwest and rast Syria to push Islamic State militants and Kurdish fighters away from its borders.

Under Turkey-Russia deal, Kurdish fighters would withdraw to 30 kilometers (19 miles) away from Turkish border. Under deal, Syrian government forces would take positions along frontier and joint Turkish-Russian patrols are due to begin Friday.

But truce has been marred by accusation of violations from both sides.

For days w, Turkey-allied fighters have been fighting Kurdish forces near Abu Rasein, a vill between Ras al-Ayn and Tal Tamr, despite deployment of Syrian government forces. Syrian state media also reported some government soldiers clashed with Turkey-backed forces.

Kurdish official said Syrian government soldiers were captured in area. He said forces n withdrew after ir soldiers were captured.

A war monitor group, Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, also reported that Syrian troops pulled out from Tal Tamr area on Wednesday, amid a Turkish-backed vance with air cover. area is home to Syria’s dwindling Christian Assyrian community.

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El Deeb reported from Beirut. Associated Press writer Albert Aji in Damascus contributed.