Turkey to meet Russian military committee for Syria

ANKARA

Turkey will host Tuesday a Russian military committee to discuss the cease-fire agreement reached on Syria's restive Idlib province, the country's Defense Ministry said.

“The meeting, which will be held with the Russian Military Committee within the framework of the agreement reached in Moscow on March 5, 2020, will start on Tuesday, March 10 in Ankara,” the ministry said in a tweet on Monday.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin agreed to a new cease-fire for Idlib effective as of midnight on March 5.

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

Joint Turkish-Russian patrols will also begin on March 15 along the M4 highway from the settlement of Trumba -- 2 km (1.2 miles) to the west of Saraqib -- to the settlement of Ain al-Havr, according to the deal.

Turkey launched Operation Spring Shield on Feb. 27 after at least 34 Turkish soldiers were martyred last month in an Assad regime airstrike in Idlib province, and after repeated violations of previous cease-fires.

Under a 2018 deal with Russia, Turkish troops were in Idlib to protect civilians from attacks by the regime and its allies.

ANKARA

Turkey will host Tuesday a Russian military committee to discuss the cease-fire agreement reached on Syria's restive Idlib province, the country's Defense Ministry said.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin agreed to a new cease-fire for Idlib effective as of midnight on March 5.

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

Under a 2018 deal with Russia, Turkish troops were in Idlib to protect civilians from attacks by the regime and its allies.