Turkey sets up new observation outpost in northwestern Syria

Turkey has set up a new observation point in the Syrian northwestern province of Idlib as part of an agreement with the other two guarantors of the Syria ceasefire, Iran and Russia.

The outpost, located nearly 70 kilometers from the Turkish border, is run by a small number of Turkish troops monitoring any armed confrontations among the warring sides in Syria, state-run news agency Anadolu reported on Thursday.

A convoy of Turkish military forces crossed the Turkey-Syria border on Wednesday night to be stationed at the outpost, the report said.

Idlib is under the control of anti-government militants, predominantly the al-Qaeda-affiliated Hayat Tahrir al-Sham. It is one of the last main strongholds of Takfiri militants who have been driven from most of their bastions across Syria in recent years.

This is the sixth Turkish observation point in Idlib since October. The outposts in Idlib are part of a plan to establish four de-escalation zones in Syria. The plan was agreed after several rounds of peace talks between the Syrian government and opposition in the Kazakh capital, Astana.

The other three de-escalation zones include the greater Damascus area, the southern Daraa region and Homs city. They are meant to separate extremist groups, including Daesh and Jabhat Fatah al-Sham – better known as al-Nusra Front -- from other terrorists.

Ankara has agreed to set up 12 observation posts in Idlib and neighboring provinces.

SS