Turkish forces are seen near Mount Barsaya, northeast of Afrin, Syria January 23, 2018. REUTERS/Khalil Ashawi
On February 4, Tukey’s Presidential Spokesman Ibrahim Kalin revealed to reporters that Turkey and Russia had agreed to establish twelve observation posts inside Syria during the Astana talks, according to the Turkish Anadolu Agency.
Kalin added that the Turkish Army had established five posts and it is working to establish the sixth observation post in Idlib governorate.
“We are establishing 12 monitoring positions as part of the Astana process. We’ve established five. We are working on the sixth one now … We will try our best to complete them as soon as possible so that we can secure the Idlib area in the way we discussed and decided at the last Astana meeting,” Kalin told reports according to Anadolu Agency.
Kalin also acknowledged that there was “misunderstandings and miscommunications” between Turkey and Russia regarding the establishment of the new Turkish observation posts in Idlib governorate. However, he said that the both sides had overcome these problems.
On January 30, a convoy of the Turkish Army entered the southeastern Idlib countryside in order to establish an observation post there. However, on January 31 the convoy withdrew after it had been hit by a car bomb.
Later on January 31, Turkey’s President Tayyip Erdogan and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin agreed to step up efforts to establish observation posts in Idlib governorate during a phone call, according to Reuters.
From its side, the Syrian Arab Army halted its military operations in Idlib governorate on February 4. This confirms that Turkey and Russia reached an agreement to establish observation posts in the southeastern Idlib countryside in order to monitor the de-escalation zone there.
Turks must leave from all Syria
right,
but how about the US, NATO, PKK, Israel… which are also illegally present?
Nobody seems to be what they are in this Syrian conflict. A big mess of warring factions. You think the Turks are saviours for innocent Syrian citizens with their humanitarian and refugee programs but on the ground, refugees are reporting that Turkeys border security are shooting life bullets and mistreating refugees and not letting them cross over into Turkey.Based on previous report this seems to be not an isolated case as it happened many times in past. Hypocrites all of them the Russian, the West, Iran, Hezbollah, the Syrian Army, the Kurds, the Turks, DAESH, Free Syrian Army, Al-Qaeda. Trust no one.
They posted a video of 3 ISIS/HTS who were supposed to be Syrians welcoming them in an old fashion of sacrificing a sheep, typical propaganda in this bogus conflict by NATO.
Even if the Turks are not the savior of Syria.. it still needs to secure its interest as a border sharing country from terrorism.. And what do you think Russia are doing..? As mentioned by Putin.. it’s best to fought war in Syria rather than in Russia when Syria falls. It is no different from what Erdogan is doing..! The Big Q’s, what are the rest of those illegal countries are doing there covertly..? Kurds are opportunist.. they don’t even give a shit to their own people and make use of them as canon fodder when they’ve got the best opportunity offered by the Syrian Government. Erdogan has job to do for Turkey’s national and international interests/securities and duties to the citizens that voted him.
Sorry to say so, but Russia again betraying the Syrian government and people. Russia has no right to deny the Syrian government its fundamental right to liberate Idleb from the Turkish terrorists and free its people. It is obvious now that it was Turkey which shot down the Russian aircraft with its Anti Aircraft systems and as usual Putin like a chicken immediately surrendered. What a spineless useless ally Russia is. The operation to liberate Idleb and its people from the Turkish terrorists should continue by the Syrian army and it true friends and allies Iran and Hezbollah.
Glad to see abortion rights defending Russia limiting it’s support for abortion banning Assad, since they are not natural allies.
So they can observe how their hts and fsa allies are getting slaughtered? Nice
In fact Syria stopped temporarily its advance in Idlib province, so to clean first the ISIS/HTS pocket south ABU DUHUR. I’m sure once it’s done offensive will continue. Turkish can not monitor a de-escalation zone where its own proxies are having terrorist/illegal occupation. It has no credibility and won’t last.
Turks laying double games and Erdogan is fooling Putin. The observation posts are not to protect peace, but rather prevent SAA advancing into Al-Qaeda territory. Putin playing very risky game with Erdogan at the expense of Syria. Putin is to weak to stand up against Erdogan and too weak to demand withdraw Turkey army from Syria
The Russians are calling the shots. It looks like they have given Turkey permission to attack Afrin. Have they also given permission for Turkey to keep Afrin? Is the SAA blocked from further advances in Idlib by the latest Turkish (with Russian permission of course) move to Al-Eis?
See: https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/breaking-video-50-turkish-military-vehicles-arrive-near-syrian-army-lines-al-qaeda-stronghold-south-aleppo/
Will Russia support a Turkish advance on Manbij? Or is that particular project too risky for Russia and will be an independent one for Turkey? Time will tell.
The Syrian Government cannot be happy will all this. It undermines the Kurds to be sure but at the price of having Turkey deeply embedded in northern Syria and unlikely to leave.