Major road connecting Aleppo to eastern Syria to reopen after Russian-Turkish agreement

The road is a major artery for the transport of oil.

2 min read

11 December, 2019

Turkish troops captured part of the M4 road during 'Operation Peace Spring' [Getty]

The Syrian regime has announced that the M4 road connecting Aleppo to Hassakeh in northeastern Syria will soon be reopened. The road is a major artery for the transport of oil.

Part of Hassakeh is under regime control but it is located deep in territory held by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). The M4 road also runs along territory which has been controlled by Turkish-allied Syrian fighters since a Turkish operation against the SDF in October.

It is a major route for the transportation of oil and agricultural produce from SDF-held eastern Syria to the Syrian coast and interior.

The regime's SANA news agency said that Syrian regime troops had deployed along the road prior to its opening "in accordance with their national duty to resist the Turkish invasion of Syrian land".

The Russian state news website RT said that Turkey and Russia had agreed that Turkey and Syrian fighters allied to it would withdraw 5 kilometres north of the M4 road and SDF fighters would withdraw south of the road.

The agreement also stipulated that the cities of Tal Abyad and Ras al-Ayn, held by Turkish-allied fighters, would be supplied with hydroelectric power from the SDF-controlled Tishrin Dam on the Euphrates.

RT also said that Turkey and Russia would carry out joint patrols on the M4 road in the near future.

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