The Turkish army announced on Monday that it started military patrols around the northern city of Manbij as part of a roadmap agreed with the United States.
The Turkish army said in a statement that "patrol activities had begun" between Manbij and an area it controls after a 2016-2017 military incursion.
The state-run Anadolu news agency said that Turkish armored vehicles were patrolling "on the Manbij frontline". It said US forces were also patrolling the area but "independently".
Manbij is controlled by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), an umbrella group dominated by the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) that Turkey considers to be a terror organization but that is supported by the US.
“Coalition and Turkish forces have begun coordinated but independent patrols near, but not in, Manbij,” spokesman Eric Pahon told Reuters.
The issue of Manbij had become a major flashpoint between the two NATO allies. But Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo agreed a roadmap on the future of the city to ease tensions earlier this month.
The deal would see the YPG withdraw from Manbij and Turkish and US forces would jointly maintain security and stability there.
Ankara has been infuriated by US support for the YPG - which it views as a terrorist organization - and has threatened to target Manbij because of the presence of Kurdish fighters there, alongside US troops.
Turkey considers the YPG an extension of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which has waged an insurgency since the 1980s. More than 40,000 have died in clashes.
Cavusoglu said that Turkish soldiers would "bit by bit" move inside Manbij and the YPG would move out.
"We can say we have started to implement the roadmap" agreed with the United States, he added.
A commander with Syrian rebels fighting with the Turkish forces told AFP that the area where the troops had been positioned "is a front line between the opposition and the SDF, according to the road map that was agreed."
Sherfan Darwish, spokesman of the Manbij Military Council which rules the town, confirmed that "Turkish forces did not enter our areas in Manbij and have not crossed the front lines."
He added that "American forces are carrying out patrols on our forces' side".
The move comes as Turkey prepares for tight presidential and parliamentary elections on Sunday. Many analysts say President Recep Tayyip Erdogan wants a major foreign policy success to give him a final boost.
Erdogan hailed the move by the army around Manbij in two campaign rallies on Tuesday in comments loudly cheered by supporters.
