Syrian army to cease fire in Idlib de-escalation zone on Aug. 31
MOSCOW: Syrian government forces will unilaterally cease fire in the de-escalation zone in Syria’s Idlib region on Saturday morning, Russia’s defence ministry was quoted by TASS news agency as saying on Friday.
The ministry also urged armed militant groups in the region to join the ceasefire, according to Interfax news agency. Russia has been the Syrian government’s most powerful supporter in its eight-year-long war with rebels and militants.
Earlier on Friday, Turkey’s foreign minister said Russia had assured Turkey its observation posts in northwest Syria would not be attacked.
Speaking in Oslo, Mevlut Cavusoglu warned that continued attacks by Russian-based Syrian government forces in rebel-held Idlib province could unleash another wave of Syrian refugees to Europe. He added that Turkey’s military, which backs some Syrian rebel groups, would leave the region only when a political solution was found.
