Withdrawal process of heavy weapons in Idlib
The withdrawal of heavy weapons by Syrian opposition in northwestern Idlib proves the opposition’s trust in Turkey, one of its member said on Tuesday.
Yaser Ferhan, a member of the National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces, said the weapons withdrawal manifests the success of alliance that opposition made with Turkey.
Ferhan’s remarks came a day after the Syrian opposition and other anti-regime groups completed the withdrawal of all their heavy weapons from Idlib frontlines.
He said the removal of weapons and Turkey's fortification of its observation posts in Idlib will provide many benefits to the people of the region.
He said that these moves prevented Bashar al-Assad regime and its allies’ further attacks on the region.
Ferhan also hailed the recently signed Sochi agreement between Turkey and Russia.
"The implementation of Sochi agreement will bring security to the people of the region," he said.
Following a meeting in Sochi last month between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, the two countries agreed to establish a demilitarized zone in Idlib, Syria’s last opposition stronghold.
Ankara and Moscow also signed a memorandum of understanding calling for the "stabilization" of Idlib's de-escalation zone, in which acts of aggression are expressly prohibited.
Under the deal, opposition groups in Idlib will remain in areas in which they are already present, while Russia and Turkey will conduct joint patrols in the area with a view to preventing renewed fighting.
Mostly controlled by the Free Syrian Army, Idlib is located just across the border from Turkey’s southern province of Hatay.
The Syrian opposition and other anti-regime forces on Monday completed the withdrawal of all their heavy weapons from Idlib frontlines in northwestern Syria.Meanwhile, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Vershinin told Sputnik news that Ankara and Moscow had agreed on the borders of Idlib’s demilitarized zone."The borders of the demilitarized zone have been already determined. Very good contacts, cooperation, ties have been established between the military of Turkey and Russia," Vershinin said.Video: Opposition heavy weapons removed from IdlibFollowing a meeting in Sochi last month between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, the two countries agreed to establish a demilitarized zone in Idlib, Syria’s last opposition stronghold.Ankara and Moscow also signed a memorandum of understanding calling for the "stabilization" of Idlib's de-escalation zone, in which acts of aggression are expressly prohibited.Under the deal, opposition groups in Idlib will remain in areas in which they are already present, while Russia and Turkey will conduct joint patrols in the area with a view to preventing renewed fighting.PKK is hiding behind US flags in Manbij: Syrian Turkmen Council headMostly controlled by the Free Syrian Army, Idlib is located just across the border from Turkey’s southern province of Hatay.Syria has been locked in a vicious civil war since early 2011 when the Assad regime cracked down on pro-democracy protests with unexpected ferocity.Since then, hundreds of thousands of people have been killed and more than 10 million others were displaced, according to UN officials.Galeri: Withdrawal process of heavy weapons in Idlib
Syrian opposition completes withdrawal of heavy weapons from Idlib frontline
Opposition groups in Syria's northwestern Idlib announced on Saturday that they had begun withdrawing heavy weapons from the frontlines, conforming to the Turkey-Russia deal.Naci Mustafa, a spokesman for the National Front for the Liberation of Syria affiliated with the Free Syria Army (FSA), told Anadolu Agency that the opposition groups began withdrawing their heavy weapons in line with the Sochi agreement in which Russia and Turkey agreed to set up a demilitarized zone.Mustafa said the light weapons would remain and they would continue digging ditches as a measure against a possible attack by the Syrian regime."The removal of heavy weapons is being carried out with the coordination of Turkish authorities," he said.Following a meeting in Sochi last month between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, the two countries agreed to establish a demilitarized zone in Idlib, Syria’s last opposition stronghold.Ankara and Moscow also signed a memorandum of understanding calling for the “stabilization” of Idlib's de-escalation zone, in which acts of aggression are expressly prohibited.Under the deal, opposition groups in Idlib will remain in areas in which they are already present, while Russia and Turkey will conduct joint patrols in the area with a view to preventing renewed fighting.Syria has only just begun to emerge from a devastating conflict that began in 2011, when the Assad regime cracked down on demonstrators with unexpected ferocity.Car bomb kills five, injures 27 in Syria’s AzazUS headed toward strategic deadlock in SyriaYPG/PKK terror group digging in around Manbij, SyriaRussia deployment of S-300 in Syria risks military escalation: France
Heavy weapons being removed from Idlib: Opposition