<p>Russia said on Thursday it was patrolling in areas along the "line of contact" between Syrian and Turkish forces, as the US-led coalition in Syria confirmed it had pulled its troops from the area.</p>.<p>Russia's defence ministry said the patrols were taking place after Syrian government troops took control of the city of Manbij.</p>.<p>"The Syrian government army has full control over the city of Manbij and nearby settlements," the ministry said in a statement.</p>.<p>"Russian military police continue to patrol the northwestern border area of Manbij district along the line of contact between the Syrian Arab Republic and Turkish armed forces," it said.</p>.<p>"Cooperation is organised with the Turkish side." A spokesman for the US-led coalition confirmed its forces had pulled out of the area. "Coalition forces are executing a deliberate withdrawal from northeast Syria. We are out of Manbij," the spokesman said.</p>.<p>Syrian forces moved into the area as part of a deal that has seen regime troops deploy in several Kurdish-controlled areas in Syria's north to protect the region from an assault by Turkish forces.</p>.<p>Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu discussed the situation with his US counterpart Mark Esper in a phone conversation on Tuesday.</p>.<p>The two talked about matters of "mutual interest" relating to the Turkish offensive, the Russian ministry said in a statement without giving any more detail. Russia is a key ally of President Bashar al-Assad and launched a military intervention in 2015 in support of his forces.</p>.<p>Moscow's special envoy on Syria, Alexander Lavrentyev, said Tuesday that it would not allow clashes between Turkish and Syrian forces.</p>.<p>"This would simply be unacceptable... And therefore we will not allow it, of course," Lavrentyev, who was on a visit to the United Arab Emirates, was quoted as saying by Russian news agencies.</p>.<p>He said Turkish and Syrian officials were in contact to avoid any conflict. "Negotiations are taking place in real time," he said. </p>
<p>Russia said on Thursday it was patrolling in areas along the "line of contact" between Syrian and Turkish forces, as the US-led coalition in Syria confirmed it had pulled its troops from the area.</p>.<p>Russia's defence ministry said the patrols were taking place after Syrian government troops took control of the city of Manbij.</p>.<p>"The Syrian government army has full control over the city of Manbij and nearby settlements," the ministry said in a statement.</p>.<p>"Russian military police continue to patrol the northwestern border area of Manbij district along the line of contact between the Syrian Arab Republic and Turkish armed forces," it said.</p>.<p>"Cooperation is organised with the Turkish side." A spokesman for the US-led coalition confirmed its forces had pulled out of the area. "Coalition forces are executing a deliberate withdrawal from northeast Syria. We are out of Manbij," the spokesman said.</p>.<p>Syrian forces moved into the area as part of a deal that has seen regime troops deploy in several Kurdish-controlled areas in Syria's north to protect the region from an assault by Turkish forces.</p>.<p>Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu discussed the situation with his US counterpart Mark Esper in a phone conversation on Tuesday.</p>.<p>The two talked about matters of "mutual interest" relating to the Turkish offensive, the Russian ministry said in a statement without giving any more detail. Russia is a key ally of President Bashar al-Assad and launched a military intervention in 2015 in support of his forces.</p>.<p>Moscow's special envoy on Syria, Alexander Lavrentyev, said Tuesday that it would not allow clashes between Turkish and Syrian forces.</p>.<p>"This would simply be unacceptable... And therefore we will not allow it, of course," Lavrentyev, who was on a visit to the United Arab Emirates, was quoted as saying by Russian news agencies.</p>.<p>He said Turkish and Syrian officials were in contact to avoid any conflict. "Negotiations are taking place in real time," he said. </p>