Turkey dispatches new military convoy to Syria's Idlib: SOHR

Turkey has brought in a new column of military forces and hardware to be deployed in its observation posts in Syria’s northwestern province of Idlib, only days after Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said the Turkish military will not leave the posts, a Britain-based war monitor says.

The so-called Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported that the column entered the Syrian territory through Kafr Lusin border crossing, and consisted of armored vehicles as well as trucks carrying logistics.

On Sunday, Akar said it is “out of the question” for Turkey to evacuate its military observation posts in Syria's Idlib.

"We respect the agreement reached with Russia and we expect Russia to abide by this agreement," he said in comments published on Sunday on the Turkish defense ministry's Twitter account.

Hulusi added, "We will by no means empty those 12 observation posts, we will not leave there."

His comments came during a visit a day earlier to the southern province of Hatay on the Syrian border to inspect Turkish troops.

The Turkish defense minister went on to say Ankara expected Russia to “use its influence” on the Damascus government “in order to stop ground and air assault” in Idlib.

On December 26 last year, the Observatory, citing local sources, reported that a Turkish military convoy had entered Syria.

SS