Putin, Erdogan agree ceasefire in Syria’s Idlib

Russia and Turkey agreed a ceasefire in Syria’s Idlib province, Russia’s president Vladimir Putin announced on March 5 after talks with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Moscow.
Erdogan said the cease-fire would take effect from midnight, and added that Turkey reserved the right to respond to attacks by Syria’s government forces that Russia supports. Analysts, however, do not believe the ceasefire will last long, as all previous ceasefire deals in Idlib have so far collapsed.
Putin offered Erdogan his condolences over Turkish military losses but added, however, that Syrian troops also suffered heavy casualties.
“I express hope that these agreements will serve as a good basis for a cessation of military activity in the Idlib de-escalation zone and stop the suffering of the peaceful population and the growing humanitarian crisis”, Putin said.
Under the deal, Syria’s president Bashar Assad will not seek to reclaim control over all of Idlib province, which is the last rebel stronghold in the country.
Erdogan said he and Putin agreed to help refugees return to their homes. More than 900,000 people have been displaced since Assad’s forces began an offensive in December backed by Russian airstrikes.
Both sides also agreed to establish a “security corridor” along Idlib’s M4 highway and start joint patrols along the road from 15 March.
The deal comes after an escalation in violence in Syria. The UK-based war monitor, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, had reported bombings just minutes before midnight. After the ceasefire came into force it announced there was “relative” calm in the region.
“The world’s eyes are on us. The steps we will take, the right decisions we will take here today will help ease concerns in the region and our countries”, Erdogan said.
A United Nations spokesman said that UN chief Antonio Guterres hopes the deal will lead “to an immediate and lasting cessation of hostilities that ensures the protection of civilians in northwest Syria, who have already endured enormous suffering”. Russia has also requested a closed-door meeting of the UN Security Council for Friday in order to brief members on the deal.