Ankara announced Friday a plan to turn Syria’s Idlib province into a “safe zone,” stating that it considers new US sanctions on the Syrian regime a mistake if they aim to divide the country or establish a special zone for Kurdish factions.
In a televised interview late Thursday, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said that the Turkish troops might be redeployed in line with the new status quo and arrangements be made with the Russians.
Asked whether Turkey would remove its observation posts from Idlib, he said, “When Idlib turns into a safe zone, our Army will think strategically and will be positioned differently.”
Cavusoglu said the Turkish Army, the Defense Ministry and the security apparatuses will decide how and where the Turkish soldiers and intelligence will operate in the area.
Since last March, when Ankara signed a ceasefire agreement with Russia in Idlib, Turkey has been sending military reinforcements and equipment to the countryside of Idlib and Aleppo against a potential Syrian regime attack on the area.
“If the United States is imposing sanctions on the (Syrian government) to carve out a region for PKK/YPG, who they supported to divide or weaken Syria, that is not right,” said the Turkish FM.
Separately, the Syrian Observatory said Turkish forces shelled the village of al-Qarajna on the road of the town of Abu Racine (Zarkan), north of Tal Tamer district in Al-Hasakeh countryside.
It added that an exchange of fire and shelling was witnessed between factions in Um Ushbeh and regime forces in the village of Bab al-Khair.
