Russia urges Turkey to crack down on terrorist groups in the Syrian rebel Idlib region. „We see that the Turkish partners are doing a great deal to reduce the threat of terrorism from there,“ said Russian President Vladimir Putin after a meeting with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Moscow yesterday.
However, joint efforts were needed to finally eliminate the danger. The agreed demilitarized zone should not be a reason to let up in the fight against terrorists.
Putin and Erdogan welcome US withdrawal
Turkey enforced the zone in the northern province of Idlib last fall. Thus, a Syrian and Russian attack on the area was averted, in which there are millions of civilians in addition to armed opposition. In recent weeks, however, the HTS terrorist group has achieved ground gains in Idlib.
Putin and Erdogan welcomed the announced withdrawal of US troops from eastern and southern Syria. But Erdogan made it clear that the local Kurdish associations, previously allies of the United States, were an opponent for him. The main task for Turkey in Syria is the fight against the terrorist groups Islamic State (IS) and YPG, he said. Ankara counts the militia to the Kurdish Workers‘ Party PKK.
