Pentagon Chief Spokesperson Dana W. White provided the following readout:
Secretary of Defense James N. Mattis spoke by phone with Turkish Minister of National Defense Hulusi Akar on Nov. 2 to discuss bilateral issues, the fight against terror and the situation in Syria.
The leaders agreed yesterday's first combined patrols northwest of Manbij, Syria, were an important step toward de-escalating tensions along the border and maintaining security and stability in the region.