Turkish-Russian militaries to hold meeting on Syria's Idlib

Turkish and Russian military delegations will hold a meeting to discuss developments in Syria’s northwestern Idlib province Wednesday, a statement by the Defense Ministry said.

In a statement, the ministry noted that the delegations will also discuss the current situation in the area.

Earlier in September, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said the two countries are advancing in the implementation of their agreements on liberating Idlib from terrorists.

Turkey and Russia, which back opposing sides in the Syrian civil war, agreed on March 5 to halt military activity in the Idlib region after an escalation of violence displaced nearly 1 million people and brought the two sides close to confrontation.

The deal addresses Turkey's main concerns, stopping a flow of refugees and preventing the deaths of more Turkish soldiers on the ground.

As part of the agreement, Turkish and Russian forces have been carrying out joint patrols along the M4 highway linking Syria's east and west and established a security corridor on either side of it. The first patrols took place on March 15.

Idlib has long been under siege by Bashar Assad regime forces and its allies, with previous cease-fires in the region having been plagued by violations.

Since April 2018, attacks on the last opposition stronghold have dramatically intensified and caused new waves of refugees to move toward the Turkish border, putting Turkey, which already hosts 3.5 million Syrians, in a difficult position.

As a result, Turkey, which has the second-largest army in the transatlantic NATO alliance, has funneled troops and equipment into the region to stop the Syrian regime's advance.

Currently, Turkish soldiers are stationed in the region to protect the local population and keep out various terrorist groups.