Will Idlib buffer zone agreement see the light?
The second item of the Turkish-Russian agreement on Syria’s Idlib providing for the withdrawal of jihadist organizations from the heavily demilitarized buffer zone is facing serious obstacles.
ALEPPO, Syria — Syrian regime artillery shelled the Jarjinaz village in Idlib’s eastern countryside Nov. 2, killing eight civilians. The regime forces targeted Jarjinaz with more than 50 shells during the Friday prayers.
Turkey and Russia had concluded an agreement on Sept. 17 to establish a buffer zone between the armed opposition regions and the regime-controlled areas in Idlib. According to this agreement that entered into force Oct. 15, this zone would run 15 to 20 kilometers deep and would be free of heavy weapons, including artilleries, tanks and rocket launchers.
Yet Syrian regime forces and allied militias continue to shell armed opposition areas with cannons and rifles in Idlib province, Hama’s northern countryside, Aleppo’s western countryside and Turkmen Mountain in the Latakia countryside.
The Free Syrian Army (FSA) responded by targeting regime locations in east Idlib Nov. 2.
