WEST KURDISTAN (SYRIA) Syria Daily: Assad Regime Defies Russia-Turkey Zone — We Will Retake Idlib

 

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The Assad regime has defied — at least verbally — the Russia-Turkey demilitarized zone in northwest Syria, proclaiming that it will retake the area whether through military or non-military action.

Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad told a pro-regime newspaper, “As we were victorious in every part of Syria we will be victorious in Idlib and the message is very clear to everyone who is concerned by this matter: We are coming to Idlib through war or peaceful means.”

Russia — the essential ally propping up the regime — and Turkey, which is alongside rebels in Idlib and northern Hama Provinces, declared the 15 to 20-km wide and 100-km long zone after a meeting between Presidents Vladimir Putin and Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on September 17. The deal, to go into effect by October 10 according to Putin, suspended a Russian-regime offensive to reoccupy the territory.The Assad regime was not part of the talks, and gave a face-saving assertion of acceptance later. Rebels have also accepted, while the jihadist bloc Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham — which has fought the opposition for control of Idlib — has not stated its official position.About 3 million people — around 20% of the population still in Syria — are estimated to live in Idlib and northern Hama. www.mesop.de