En attendant Godot : Turkey Coordinates Actions on Syria with Russia

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has commented on the new Turkish operation in Idlib, which is the second Turkish military campaign in the Syrian territory.


“The Turkish side is responsible for ensuring security in the de-escalation zone. … Without a doubt, the member states to the Astana agreements coordinate their actions on the issue of establishment of de-escalation zones,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters when asked whether Turkey was coordinating its actions with Russia, Sputnik reported.

Commenting on reports regarding Turkey's alleged attempts to come to a ceasefire agreement in the Idlib province with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group affiliated with Jabhat Fatah al-Sham, Peskov said it was better to ask the Defense Ministry about that, as he had "no details."

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced plans to deploy the country's soldiers to Syria's Idlib, where Free Syrian Army rebel fighters backed by Ankara have launched an operation against al-Nusra Front terrorists on October 7.

Turkish soldiers stand near armored vehicles during a demonstration in support of the Turkish army's Idlib operation near the Turkey-Syria border near Reyhanli, Hatay, on October 10, 2017.

Commenting on the Idlib operation, the Turkish prime minister, Binali Yildirim, said that Ankara's actions in Idlib are coordinated with Moscow. The Russian Defense Ministry hasn't yet commented on Turkey's operation, however, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said earlier that Russia is ready to support "armed groups" fighting al-Nusra Front in Syria's Idlib de-escalation zone.
 (Tasnim)
 25/10/17
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