Turkish military vehicles enter Idlib province
amman/beirut — A small Turkish army reconnaissance team crossed the border into Syria’s Idlib province on Sunday, a senior Syrian rebel said, ahead of a planned deployment by Turkish-backed rebels there.
The group of military vehicles was escorted into the area by the rebels’ rival, the Tahrir Al Sham militants alliance, against which the operation has been planned, local sources said, suggesting a deal might be reached to avert fighting.
However, the militants and the Turkish military had earlier exchanged fire nearby, underscoring tensions as Turkey builds up forces and the rebel groups it backs prepare to enter Idlib.
Tayyip Erdogan said on Saturday that Syrian rebels backed by Turkish forces would launch an operation in Idlib and warned that Turkey would not allow “a terrorist corridor” near its borders. Prime Minister Binali Yildirim stressed the importance of ensuring de-escalation near the border. “We will ensure safety in Idlib, and will cooperate with Russia,” Yildirim said.
The operation follows a deal between Turkey and Syrian President Bashar Al Assad’s allies Russia and Iran to impose a “de-escalation” zone
We will ensure safety in Idlib, and will cooperate with russia.” Binali Yildirim, Turkey Prime Minister
in Idlib and surrounding areas to reduce warfare there, an agreement that did not include Tahrir Al Sham.
A local resident and another local rebel said they had seen Turkish military vehicles enter Idlib and then travel under Tahrir al-Sham escort along a road.
The senior Syrian rebel said the reconnaissance team were heading to Sheikh Barakat, a location that overlooks both rebel-held areas of Aleppo, adjacent to Idlib, and the Kurdish-controlled area of Afrin.
Tahrir Al Sham fired on a Turkish bulldozer removing sections of a border wall and Turkish artillery returned fire, they said. The area was later quiet.
Rebel groups taking part in the operation — part of the Euphrates Shield campaign that Turkey has backed with armour and troops in another part of Syria to the east of Idlib since last year — said on Saturday they expected it to start very soon. —