Will Turkey’s 'strategic partnership' with Russia cover Idlib?
Ankara is looking to Moscow to prevent an attack on Idlib by the Russian-supported Syrian army.
Syria’s Idlib region is rapidly turning into what could be the final and bloodiest flashpoint in the Syrian conflict. Millions of predominantly Sunni civilians, and tens of thousands of Syrian opposition forces and jihadis, have sought refuge in the region, which has taken on the appearance of being a de facto Turkish protectorate, although not a very secure and stable one.
Meanwhile, President Bashar al-Assad appears determined to recapture the region and is reportedly continuing with military preparations to launch his attack.
Turkey has 12 military outposts in Idlib governorate under an agreement with Russia and Iran arrived at last year on setting up “de-escalation zones” in the region. Turkish forces are holding positions between Syrian opposition forces and the Syrian army.
Preparations for battle by the warring sides, nevertheless, continue, forcing Ankara into a bout of intense diplomacy with Moscow over the past two weeks in order to prevent an operation by the Russian-backed Syrian army.
