Turkey, Russia agree on details of truce in Idlib, Syria

First Turkish-Russian joint patrol on M4 highway in Idlib to be conducted on March 15, says Turkish defence minister.

In this photo taken from the outskirts of the village of Alakamis, in Idlib province, southeastern Turkey, Turkish army vehicles return to Turkey from Syria after conducting a joint patrol with Russian forces, November 8, 2019.
AP

In this photo taken from the outskirts of the village of Alakamis, in Idlib province, southeastern Turkey, Turkish army vehicles return to Turkey from Syria after conducting a joint patrol with Russian forces, November 8, 2019.

Turkish and Russian delegates agreed on details of the new ceasefire in Syria’s northwestern Idlib province, Turkey’s defence minister said on Friday.

Four-day talks between the Turkish and Russian military delegations ended at the Turkish National Defence Ministry in the capital Ankara.

At the meeting, a document elaborating on the framework of the Idlib ceasefire was signed by Turkish and Russian delegates and it entered into force, Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar told reporters.

He said the first joint patrol of Turkey and Russia on the M4 highway in Idlib will be conducted on March 15.

Akar also said Turkey and Russia will establish joint coordination centres in the region.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin last week agreed on a new ceasefire for Idlib starting on March 6.

Under the deal, all military activities are to end in Idlib with the establishment of a security corridor 6 km (3.7 miles) to the north and south of the key M4 highway.

Stressing the importance of the ceasefire, Akar said there are very good indications that immigration from Idlib has stopped and returns have even started.

Route 6