Turkey ensures security in Idlib: Syrian opposition

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW

Turkish military presence in the Syrian province of Idlib ensures security in the region, the former prime minister of the Syrian Interim Government said during a Syria meeting in Sochi, Russia, on Tuesday.

The Syrian opposition wants to transform Idlib from a deescalation zone into a zone of a permanent cease-fire, Ahmad Tu’mah, who led the opposition groups at the 10th round of Astana format meeting of the guarantor countries, said at a news conference.

”The presence of Turkish allies at the control points on the regional borders ensures security," he said following the meeting.

Meanwhile, Russian Presidential Envoy for Syria, Alexander Lavrentyev, ruled out the possibility of any military operation in Idlib.

“There cannot be any talks of an all-out offensive," he said, speaking at a separate news conference in Sochi.

Last week, the regime began a military buildup in southwestern Idlib in a bid to attack Syria’s northwestern Turkmen Mountain region, which is located within the de-escalation zones.

Idlib was a top issue during the Astana meeting, as the Turkish delegation stressed the importance of maintaining the cease-fire regime in the region.