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Turkey on Saturday welcomed the prisoner swap in Syria, saying mutual and simultaneous release of the detainees builds confidence between the sides in the war-torn country.
In a written statement, Turkish Foreign Ministry said several persons detained by the opposition groups and the regime were "mutually and simultaneously" released on Saturday.
The swap took place in the Abu al Zindeen district to the south of al-Bab, which is controlled by the opposition, within the scope of a pilot project of the Astana Working Group, the ministry said.
At least five civilians were killed in attacks by regime forces and allied militias in Syria’s northern Idlib province, according to the White Helmets civil defense agency on Saturday.Regime forces and Iran-backed militias attacked residential buildings and schools in the town of Jarjanazin in the province’s eastern countryside, according to an Anadolu Agency reporter in the area.“The attacks took place as students were leaving schools,” White Helmets official Mustafa Haj Yousuf told Anadolu Agency.“Two students and three women were killed in the attacks,” he said.At least 32 civilians are estimated to have been killed and scores injured in similar attacks by regime forces and allied militias in Idlib since mid-September.After a meeting in Sochi between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Sept. 17, the two sides agreed to set up a demilitarized zone -- in which acts of aggression are expressly prohibited -- in Idlib.Under the terms of the deal, opposition groups in Idlib will remain in areas in which they are already present, while Russia and Turkey will carry out joint patrols in the area to prevent a resumption of 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.Turkish, Russian ministers discuss Idlib, Tal Rifaat
Five civilians killed in regime attacks in Syria’s Idlib
Turkey has repeatedly conveyed its “discomfort” to the U.S. officials over their country’s planned observation points in northern Syria, Turkish defense minister said on Saturday.Speaking to Anadolu Agency following a ceremony to mark Turkey’s Teachers Day, Hulusi Akar said he spoke with Gen. Joseph Dunford, the U.S. joint chiefs of staff chairman, last Sunday on the sidelines of the Halifax International Security Forum in Canada about the planned U.S. observation points on the Syrian border."We have stated that the observation points to be established by the U.S. troops on the Syrian border will have a very negative impact […] and in the course of our discussions we expressed that it could lead to a perception that 'U.S. soldiers are somehow protecting terrorist YPG members and shield them'," he added.Akar said that these practices would make the already complex situation in the region "much more complex" and added that there is no need for that.The defense minister said the Turkish Armed Forces are taking all necessary measures to protect the country from all kind of threats, including from beyond the borders."We expect that our U.S. allies cut their relations with the terrorist YPG, who are no different from the PKK, as soon as possible," he added.The YPG is the Syrian offshoot of the PKK, a terrorist group recognized by Turkey, the U.S., and EU, which in its 30-year terror campaign has taken some 40,000 lives.The U.S. has claimed the YPG/PKK is an "ally" in the fight against Daesh, over Turkey's objections that you cannot use one terrorist group to fight another.Turkey has repeatedly cited evidence that the YPG is no different from the PKK.
Turkey against planned US observation points in Syria
It is an important first step to implement confidence-building measures aimed to be continued with new initiatives, the statement read.
According to the ministry, the project of the Release of Detainees/Abductees, Handover of Bodies and Identification of Missing Persons was established as part of the Astana process with the participation of Turkey, Russia and Iran as well as the UN.
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.
A teenage Syrian girl, who received treatment in Turkey after suffering from injuries in her country's northwestern Idlib province, reunited with her family on Friday.Officials from Turkey's Family, Labor and Social Services Ministry, the Turkish Red Crescent and the governorship of southern Hatay province made 14-year-old E.H.Y.'s dream to see her parents after one-and-a-half years come true.She had undergone multiple surgeries due to the effects of the blast in her war-stricken country, and asked Turkish officials to help her reunite with her family after recovering.Meeting at the Yayladagi Border Crossing into Syria in Hatay, the family and officials burst into tears of joy.E.H.Y said she is very happy to meet her family."I was heavily injured after a bomb exploded near our home in Idlib. They brought me to Turkey alone. Fortunately received treatment here and recovered," she said."When I came to Turkey, my family was in Syria and I hadn't heard from anyone for a long time," she said, thanking the officials for their efforts.Meanwhile the girl's mother expressed her happiness for meeting her daughter after such a long time.
Turkish officials help Syrian teen reunite with family
Syrian Turkmens have decided to unite under a single flag following a congress held in the region's North, an official said Thursday."Our greatest power for the future will be our unity. Now we have a flag. This flag will represent and unite us," Syrian Turkmen Parliament Speaker Muhammed Vecih Cuma told Anadolu Agency.Cuma said that life has returned to normalcy in areas cleared of terrorists with Turkish support.He added that the civil society had strengthened and they had recently held a congress to decide upon a flag in Cobanbey -- also known as Al-Rai -- in northwestern Syria.Some 250 representatives from Aleppo, Idlib, Bayirbucak, Raqqa, Hama, Homs, Tartus, Daraa, Golan and Damascus attended the congress.Also Turkmen army commanders and civil society representatives attended the meeting."We fulfilled our people's wishes and accepted this mutual flag," Cuma said.The tri-colored flag has blue for Turkic roots, red for martyrs' blood, white for humane values, and crescent and star for Islam.Turkmens are a Turkic ethnic group based largely in Syria and Iraq, where they live alongside large Arab and Kurdish populations. The Turkmen community, which includes Sunni and Shia Muslims, shares close cultural ties with Turkey.Syrian Turkmens are Syrian citizens, who have Turkish roots and are living alongside Syria's Turkish border in country's northwestern town and villages.
Syrian Turkmens to unite under single flag
A Turkish aid agency opened a midwifery school in northwestern Idlib province of Syria, a foundation official said on Thursday.Ibrahim Tlass, a health official from Humanitarian Relief Foundation (IHH) in Syria, told Anadolu Agency that the Istanbul-based charity group would begin its operation with education for 100 people in midwifery and nursing.The deliveries should be supervised by experts who are trained in healthier environments and areas in Syria, Tlass said.He also said hospitals in Idlib provide treatment for nearly 4 million people, and they lack of medical equipment and medicines.IHH has been helping war victims since the beginning of the Syrian civil war.The organization is providing humanitarian aid, including food aid, medical support, health care, education as well as refugee camps inside Syria and Turkey to civilians affected by the conflict.
Turkish NGO opens midwifery school in Syria's Idlib