Turkey says ceasefire holding in Idlib
>>ISTANBUL: Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar said yesterday that there had been no violations of the ceasefire in Syria’s Idlib, as part of an agreement with Russia, while Russia said there have been a few shootings in the region.
The comments come after a war monitor and rebel sources on Friday said that fighting broke out in the Jabal al-Zawiya region in the south of Idlib province between Syrian government forces and jihadist insurgents of the Turkistan Islamic Party. Fifteen people were killed, the Syrian Observatory said.
“We will continue to be a deterrent force to prevent any violation to the ceasefire. None occurred since ceasefire entered into force,” the Turkish Defence Ministry quoted Mr Akar as saying.
The ceasefire was reached in Moscow on Thursday after talks to contain an escalating conflict.
Nearly a million people have been displaced in a three-month Russian-backed offensive by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s forces in northwest Syria. Ankara supports rebel fighters, although it has less sway over jihadists who control large parts of Idlib.
Russian news agencies, citing the defence ministry, said there have been three cases of shooting in Idlib in the past 24 hours.
It also said there were seven cases of shootings in Latakia and nine in Aleppo. The defence ministry also reported that 860 refugees have returned to Syria from Jordan and Lebanon for the past day.
Mr Akar also said Turkey would use its right to self-defence if there is any attack targeting its forces or bases in the region.
The deal called for joint patrols of Turkish and Russian forces around the M4 road in Idlib region starting on March 15.
Turkey has started to work on the procedures and principles of the safety corridor around the road, Mr Akar said, adding that a Russian military delegation will visit Ankara this week.
Russia and Turkey back opposing sides in Syria’s nine-year conflict, with Moscow supporting Mr Assad and Turkey backing some rebel groups. Several previous deals to end the fighting in Idlib have collapsed.