"We plan to start the joint ground patrols on September 8," Hulusi Akar said on Friday during inspections in the eastern Malatya province. “There is a general agreement on which we expect the activities to be carried out at a certain sequence and pace.”

According to the state-run Anadolu Agnecy Akar also said Turkey and the U.S. had begun air patrols with both helicopters and unmanned aircraft.

On Auguat 7, Turkish and U.S. military officials agreed to set up a safe zone in the Kurdish northern Syria. They also agreed to establish a joint operations center.

A six-member U.S. team arrived in Turkey’s southeast on August 12 in preparations for the center.

Reporter’s code: 50101