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WORLD NEWS Tuesday 18 sepTember 2018

Turkey, Russia agree on demilitarized zone in Syria's Idlib

By JIM HEINTZ fering an air cover which
SARAH EL DEEB means Iran alone won't be
Associated Press able to carry out the offen-
MOSCOW (AP) — The lead- sive with the overstretched
ers of Russia and Turkey forces of the Assad regime."
agreed Monday to estab- He said Russia has also re-
lish a demilitarized zone in frained from its accusations
Syria's Idlib region, the last that the rebels are all terror-
major stronghold of anti- ists. "Russia swallowed all its
government rebels where accusations," he said. "Tur-
fears had been running key is in a strong position."
high of a devastating of- He said the zone would be
fensive by government enforced by Turkish patrols
forces. on the opposition side and
The zone will be established Russian patrols on the gov-
by Oct. 15 and be 15-20 ki- ernment side.
lometers (9-12 miles) deep, Ramadan added that the
with troops from Russia opposition was now stron-
and NATO-member Turkey ger than when it was after
conducting coordinated losses in Daraa and Gh-
patrols, President Vladi- outa. He said the Russians
mir Putin said at the end reached the agreement
of a more than three-hour without negotiating it first
meeting with Turkish Presi- with the Syrian govern-
dent Recep Tayyip Erdo- ment, pointing to Shoigu's
gan in Sochi. comments that Moscow
The deal marked a signifi- will discuss the deal with the
cant agreement between Syrian government later.
the two leaders and effec- Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan shake hands after Abu Omar, a spokesman
joint news conference in the Bocharov Ruchei residence in the Black Sea resort of Sochi in Sochi,
tively delays an offensive Russia, Monday, Sept. 17, 2018. for the Turkey-backed reb-
by Syria and its Russian and Associated Press el group Faylaq al-Sham,
Iranian allies, one that Tur- thanked Erdogan for pre-
key fears would create a a great humanitarian crisis said. Ramadan also said the venting an offensive and
humanitarian crisis near its in Idlib," Erdogan said at a Asked whether Syrian Presi- deal offers the Syrian gov- giving the rebels time to
border. joint briefing with Putin. dent Bashar Assad's gov- ernment and Russia one of defend their rebellion and
Putin said "radical militants" Turkey has been eager to ernment agreed with the their main demands, which people. Millions "of civilians
would have to withdraw prevent an assault by Syr- Putin-Erdogan plan, Rus- is securing the highway in Idlib are in peace," he
from the zone. Among ian government troops in sian Defense Minister Ser- that passes through Idlib tweeted.
them would be those from the province. gei Shoigu told reporters in and links northern Syria with He said he was confident
the al-Qaida-linked Hayat Putin said he believed the Sochi that "in the coming other cities. That was one of that the deal "would not
Tahrir al-Sham — Arabic for agreement on Idlib could hours, we will agree with the government's strategic have been possible with-
Levant Liberation Commit- hasten final resolution of them on all the positions aims in an offensive in Idlib. out the steadfastness of
tee. The group denies it is Syria's long and devastat- put forth in this document." "Turkey offered Putin a lad- our people and fighters.
linked to al-Qaida. ing civil war. Ahmed Ramadan, a der with which to climb Thank you, Erdogan." Capt.
It was not immediately "We agreed that practi- spokesman for the Syrian down from the tree, threat- Naji al-Mustafa, a spokes-
clear exactly how the deal cal implementation of the political opposition in exile, ening a military offensive in man for the Turkey-backed
would be implemented steps we plan will give a said the agreement offered Idlib that had little chance umbrella group of opposi-
in the province, which is fresh impetus to the pro- Russia a chance to walk for success," Ramadan said tion fighters known as the
home to more than 3 mil- cess of political settlement back its threat against Idlib in a series of text messages National Front for Libera-
lion Syrians and an esti- of the Syrian conflict and and represented a success with The Associated Press. tion, said diplomatic efforts
mated 60,000 rebel fighters will make it possible to in- for diplomatic pressure "The Turkish and U.S. serious have prevented a wide-
from various groups. vigorate efforts in the Ge- from Turkey and the Unit- pressures were the reason offensive on Idlib but that
"I believe that with this neva format and will help ed States, which was also behind Russia abstaining his group still needs to learn
agreement we prevented restore peace in Syria," he against an offensive. from the offensive and of- the details of the deal.q