Turkey: Parliament starts closed session on Idlib, Syria

ANKARA

Just days after Turkey began a new operation in Idlib, northwestern Syria in the wake of Assad regime attacks there on Turkish soldiers, Turkey’s parliament on Tuesday started to hold a closed session on the situation in the embattled province.

National Defense Minister Hulusi Akar and Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu are both set to address lawmakers in the closed session on Idlib, which lies just across Turkey's southern border.

Among those set to attend the session are Vice President Fuat Oktay, main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu, and Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli.

Under parliamentary bylaws, the session’s proceedings will remain under seal for a decade.

Ankara on Sunday launched Operation Spring Shield after 34 Turkish soldiers were martyred last week in Idlib, the last stronghold of opposition forces in Syria.

The Turkish troops were there to protect local civilians under a September 2018 deal with Russia which prohibits acts of aggression in Idlib.

However, Assad and Russian forces in the de-escalation zone continue to violate the cease-fire, sending about a million refugees towards Turkey's border with Syria since last December.

Turkey is already hosting close to 4 million Syrian refugees as well as migrants from other countries such as Iraq, Pakistan, and Afghanistan.