Turkey’s Idlib patrols: Erdogan eyes Syria as world faces corona

Shaimaa Yahya

A new military scene has erupted in northern Syria after more than a month of ceasefire in Idlib, the signing of an agreement concluded between Ankara and Moscow on March 5, and the global preoccupation with the Covid-19 corona virus pandemic.

In implementation of the ceasefire agreement in Idlib, the Turkish Ministry of Defense announced on April 15 the launch of the fourth joint patrol between Ankara and Moscow from the village of Tarnaba, near Saraqib, heading to the town of Neirab, east of Idlib.

The patrol covered the M4 highway linking the cities of Aleppo and Latakia, but it did not complete its entire course, which was destined to go from Tarnaba to Ain Hoor in the countryside of Latakia.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitored an extensive deployment of Turkish forces on the Aleppo-Latakia international highway near the town of Neirab, as there were significant military reinforcements of soldiers and vehicles in preparation for the joint patrol.

At the same time, the Syrian Observatory monitored a large influx of citizens at a sit-in to reject the Turkish-Russian agreement on Idlib. The Turkish forces broke up the sit-in, stormed its headquarters, and removed protesters’ tents on the Latakia-Aleppo international road near Tarnaba.

There have been three joint patrols conducted between Turkish and Russian forces since March 15, with the last on April 8. But they did not complete their patrols due to the people’s objection to the Russian presence and their rejection of the Turkish-Russian agreements signed in Astana, Sochi and Moscow.

Mustafa Kemal, an assistant researcher at the military and security studies unit at the Al-Ahram Center for Strategic Studies, said that the ceasefire deal approved on March 5 remains fragile, as Russia and Turkey have already failed to implement the main elements of the deal, including joint patrols, while Turkey continues to reinforce its positions in Idlib in preparation for the possible resumption of hostilities.

UN Envoy to Syria Geir Pedersen called for working towards a complete and immediate ceasefire at the national level in Syria, after more than nine years of war, in order to enable a comprehensive effort to eradicate the corona virus, Kemal added. Syrians are extremely vulnerable to the virus, as medical facilities have either been destroyed or deteriorated, and there is a shortage of basic medical supplies or personnel. More than 6.5 million displaced Syrians, refugees, and detainees live in conditions that make them more vulnerable to infection.

Turkish points

Meanwhile, the Turkish army continues to support its deployments in Idlib with various military supplies, even after the ceasefire deal was concluded. With Russia and Turkey insisting on the implementation of the agreement through the provision of joint patrols along the M4 highway, it is no longer possible to limit the number of Turkish deployment points in and around Idlib, and Turkey has not announced the number of its fighters or the types of supplies and weapons that are being brought to the area.

According to a study published by the US-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW) in early April, an estimated 20,000 Turkish fighters entered northern Syria between February 1 and March 31, including experienced Turkish special forces, along with armored and infantry units, such as the 5th Commando Brigade that is specialized in paramilitary operations and mountain combat.