Is Turkey aligned with al-Qaeda affiliate in Idlib?
Russian-Turkish relations worsen as Syrian forces advance in Idlib; Al-Monitor leads media coverage of Iran’s financial crisis — by six months; the American University of Beirut dedicates "transformative" Halim and Aida Daniel Academic and Clinical Center.
Turkey’s uneasy ties with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham
The Astana process is on the verge of collapse, as Turkey and Russia are lining up on opposite sides in Idlib, which may prove to be the decisive battle in the Syria war.
Syria’s military operations in Idlib “are making Turkey so tense that it summoned the ambassadors of Iran and Russia and warned them that the Syrian army's moves violate the accord reached in Astana, Kazakhstan, which provides for de-escalation zones guaranteed by Iran, Russia and Turkey,” writes Fehim Tastekin.
Moscow has intimated that drones that targeted Russian facilities in Khmeimim and Tartus on Jan. 6 originated from areas controlled by Turkish-backed "moderate" opposition groups. Ankara has denied the charge, arguing that the attacks were the result of terrorist forces gaining a foothold in the region as a result of the Syrian offensive.
