Demilitarized Zone In Idlib To Allow Separation Of Militants, Moderate Opposition - Moscow

Moscow hopes that the establishment of a demilitarized zone in the Syrian province of Idlib will help separate the moderate opposition and militants, Russian Foreign Ministry's spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Thursday.

ST. PETERSBURG (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 20th September, 2018) Moscow hopes that the establishment of a demilitarized zone in the Syrian province of Idlib will help separate the moderate opposition and militants, Russian Foreign Ministry's spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Thursday.

On Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan agreed to set up a demilitarized zone in the northwestern Syrian province of Idlib by October 15. Russian military police and Turkish forces will be patrolling the demilitarized zone in Idlib along the contact line between the armed opposition and the government troops.

All heavy weaponry operated by rebel groups must be pulled out of the demilitarized zone by October 10, the agreement stipulates.

"The agreements reached between Russia and Turkey will help to save the lives of the civilian population. We hope that they will contribute not only to the separation of the moderate opposition from terrorists in Idlib, but will also have a sobering effect on the provocateurs who, through the chemical attack planned there, intend to justify another aggressive missile and bomb attack by the so-called Syrian coalition led by the United States," Zakharova said at a weekly briefing.