Terrorist attacks target Turkish forces in Idlib

Ahmed Samy Abdel Fattah

The situation in Idlib is still in focus as the area is controlled by the armed militias in Syria. Idlib is the most crucial point of disagreement between Russia and Turkey.  While Turkey considers the control of the armed groups of Idlib is necessary to ensure their representation in any future political settlement, Russia deems the Syrian regime’s control of Idlib to be necessary as well to regain control of the country’s main international roads: M4 and M5.

The control of these international roads would ease the Syrian regime’s economic management of territories freed from the control of the Turkish-backed militias.

On March 5, Turkey and Russia reached an agreement to suspend all kinds of military operations in Idlib, making Road M5 under the control of the Syrian regime. The agreement means that Aleppo and its countryside are linked o Homs and Damascus.

On March 19, two Turkish soldiers were killed by an explosive device, which targeted a military convoy on Road M4, marking the first escalation of armed militias against the Turkish presence in Idlib.

Russia has accused Turkey of failing to carry out the Sochi agreement, citing Ankara’s failure in keeping Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, formerly known as Al-Nusra Front away from other armed groups in the area.

Researcher Mohamed Rabie, an expert on Turkish affairs, said that the Russian-Turkish joint patrols are part of an agreement for ceasefire in Idlib in view of the Syrian Arab army’s advancement to road M4.

“These joint patrols are part of the Syrian-Russian vision to restore Idlib and uproot terrorism from the area. The patrols have exposed violations made by the Turkish-backed terrorists,” Rabie told THE REFERENCE.

The researcher pointed out that these patrols serve the best interest of Damascus in the future, citing that the Turkish presence in Idlib is rejected by the Turkish people due to growing losses in Idlib.

He added that the Turkish popular rejection is also accompanied by parliament’s anger, which It may lead to early elections in Turkey.