I've been watching Idlib, still. It seems to me we can take cues from the happenings in that area and extrapolate them outwards. There is a meeting in Sochi taking place present time. The earliest reports have Russia's Shoigu stating that Russia and Turkey need to make swift decisions to support a demilitarized zone..I've updated below and am making note of the fact that Turkey and Russia are being pretty tight lipped on what was discussed/resolved/agreed to at the Sochi meeting Sergei ShoiguWhat are the decisions going to be? Have they already been made, more or less?
"Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu says Moscow and Ankara need to take swift decisions to support a demilitarized zone in Syria’s northwestern province of Idlib, which has has so far held off a government offensive on the last major terrorist stronghold in the country.
“The situation in Syria requires our immediate decision and discussion of the urgent issues. The dynamics we have gained after signing the documents on Idlib in Sochi needs to be maintained to tackle the remaining issues without losing momentum,” Shoigu told his Turkish counterpart Hulusi Akar in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi on Tuesday"
HTS had been warned previously. Would a move against them be in the cards?Is this the 'swift decision' required? I'll be watching.Anadolu Agency 5:45 est- UPDATE Begins- Head of Turkish Intelligence was also present:
"Defense ministers of Turkey and Russia on Tuesday discussed further interactions in Syria's Idlib at a meeting in Russia's coastal city of Sochi."
Interactions; suggesting joint actions
"Hulusi Akar and Sergey Shoygu examined the actions needed to be performed to "close all the remaining issues in Idlib," said a Russian Defense Ministry statement."
Joint actions to close all the remaining issues in Idlib-
"The current situation in Syria requires our immediate solution and discussion of the pending issues," it said.
Turkey's head of National Intelligence Service (MIT) Hakan Fidan was also present at the meeting, according to Turkish defense sources.
On Sept. 17, Turkish President Recep Tayip Erdogan and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin agreed to establish a demilitarized zone in Idlib."
Can we surmise that the agreement Turkey and Russia made is still at play? That does appear to be the case. Should we be expecting some actions in Idlib in short order to bring the deal to fruition. (Fruition: the state of having successfully completed an activity or plan) Not necessarily an attack by Syrian Arab Army, alone- But perhaps in a supportive role?I see there is noise again about an impending chemical attack?Go back to this post from September 18/2018- Idlib Agreement: A few more details
" The rebels are to hand over their heavy weapons under the supervision of Russia and Turkey by Nov. 10."
November 10th has come and gone.. have the heavy weapons been handed over? If the heavy weapons have not been handed over is this the reason for some type of joint action to be taken?
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Are Turkey & Syria Coordinating Operations In North Eastern Syria?
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Raqqa Assassination of Influentail Sheik May End Dream of Independent Syrian Kurdistan
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Russia Conducts an Agreement with “Tahrir al-Sham” and Attacks in Idlib
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Syria: The Idlib Agreement & What is the Future of HTS in Idlib?