The Turkish observation post at the Atmeh crossing on the Syrian-Turkish border, Idlib Province, Syria, May 31, 2019 (Khalil Ashawi/Reuters)
UPDATE, 1045 GMT:
Turkey has supplied a contingent of anti-Assad fighters deploying to southern Idlib Province, local sources have told EA.
The Turkish military supported the move of about 1,500 to 2,000 troops of the Syrian National Army. The fighters are mostly infantry but there are some heavy weapons.
The deployment was arranged after Turkey negotiated with the Islamist bloc Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham, which controls much of Idlib.
ORIGINAL ENTRY: Defense Minister Hulusi Akar has insisted Turkey will remain at observation posts in northwest Syria, even as a Russia-regime offensive has cut off those posts and left them impotent.
Akar said, in comments to army commmanders in southern Turkey, “In no way will we evacuate 12 observation points heroically carrying out their mission of ensuring the cease-fire; we are not going to leave.”
The posts were established after a Russian-Turkish agreement in September 2018 for a “de-escalation zone” around Idlib and northern Hama Provinces.
But the launch of the Russia-regime offensive in late April shattered the zone. More than 1,100 civilians have been killed, thousands wounded, and more than 600,000 displaced airstrikes enabled ground forces to seize almost all of northern Hama and part of southern Idlib.
This summer a Turkish observation post at Morek in northern Hama was surrounded. Ankara’s attempt to move troops to southern Idlib was blocked by Russian-regime strikes on a major highway. Several posts came under mortar fire by pro-Assad units.
Akar told the commanders that the posts have been ordered to “respond without hesitation” if they are attacked or harassed. But he gave no indication of any other Turkish military action.
In early September Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a pause in the offensive. However, it was renewed in November with an escalation of attacks on civilians this month. Since December 12, another 235,000 people have been displaced amid the killing of scores and injuring of hundreds.
The Russian-regime assault is now poised to occupy Ma’arat al-Num’an, whose 70,000 population have fled. The city was a notable site of resistance to both the Assad regime and to the hardline Islamist bloc Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham.
See also Syria Daily, Dec 28: UN — 235,000+ Flee Latest Russia-Regime Offensive in Idlib
The greater Idlib area has an estimated 3 million residents, about 20% of Syria’s remaining population after 105 months of conflict.
