Russian-Turkish Agreements On Idlib To Help Build New Security System In Syria - Shoigu

The agreements on Idlib reached by Russia and Turkey, the guarantor states of the ceasefire regime in Syria, will help to build a new security system in the Middle Eastern country, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said on Tuesday.

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 18th September, 2018) The agreements on Idlib reached by Russia and Turkey, the guarantor states of the ceasefire regime in Syria, will help to build a new security system in the middle Eastern country, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said on Tuesday.

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.

"Yesterday, within the framework of the settlement of the situation in the de-escalation zone of Idlib, major talks have been held between our Supreme Commander-in-Chief Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. They were attended by the defense ministers, foreign ministers and chiefs of the General Staffs. After long negotiations, a decision was made, according to which we believe that from today the process of building a new system, a new security structure in the de-escalation zone of Idlib, has started," Shoigu said at a meeting with senior military commanders.

The newly signed agreement between Moscow and Ankara on the stabilization of situation in Idlib envisages a speedy withdrawal of heavy weapons by October 10 from the demilitarization zone, which will run along the perimeter of the de-escalation zone to a depth of 15 to 20 kilometers (9 to 12 miles), the minister underlined.

"All radical groups must be pulled out by October 15. It refers to the Islamic State and Jabhat al Nusra terrorist groups (both banned in Russia) and those included in the UN lists as terrorist organizations," Shoigu added.

Idlib province is the last major stronghold of rebel and Islamic terrorist groups which have tried to overthrow the government of Syrian President Bashar Assad.