The United States and Turkey began training together to launch joint patrols of the northern Syrian area of Manbij, announced US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis on Monday. "The training now is under way and well just have to see how that goes," Mattis told a small group of reporters traveling with him to Paris. "We have every reason to believe the joint patrols will be coming on time, when the training syllabus is complete so that we do it right," Mattis added. As agreed by the two NATO allies in June, Turkish and US forces are currently carrying out patrols in Manbij, but those are independent of each other. Training is the last step before the two countries carry out joint patrols. Mattis said the United States was currently working with trainers and it would be followed by a few weeks of training with Turkish troops before the joint patrols started. Mattis said the Turkish military has "been very helpful, very professional on setting the rules of engagement and the training up, and were on the ground there now." The training will take place in Turkey. The training had been delayed a bit while equipment was brought in and the two countries worked out the details of how military tactics and operations would be conducted. Ibrahim Kalin, Turkeys presidential spokesman, said last week that the patrols would "begin very soon." Mattis would not commit to a timeline, but acknowledged progress in the training steps needed for the patrols to start. Turkey has been infuriated with Washingtons support for the Syrian Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG), which it views as a terrorist organization. Prior to the June agreement it had threatened to push on with a ground offensive against the YPG in Manbij despite the presence of US troops there. Turkeys detention of American pastor Andrew Brunson on terrorism charges has also hit relations between Ankara and Washington. US President Donald Trump, angered by Brunsons detention, authorized a doubling of duties on aluminum and steel imported from Turkey in August. Turkey retaliated by increasing tariffs on US cars, alcohol and tobacco imports.