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Conflict in Syria

Turkish president points to new wave of refugees from Syria’s Idlib

At least 200,000 to 250,000 refugees are moving towards borders

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan AP Photo/Patrick Semansky

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan

© AP Photo/Patrick Semansky

ANKARA, January 2. /TASS/. A large group of refugees from Syria’s Idlib province is heading towards Turkey’s border, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in a statement broadcast by NTV on Thursday.

"At least 200,000 to 250,000 refugees are moving towards our borders. We are trying to stop them using certain measures but it is complicated work because we are dealing with humans," he pointed out.

Syrian de-escalation zones

Four de-escalation zones were set up in Syria in May 2017 in accordance with a decision made by Russia, Iran and Turkey - the guarantors of the Syrian ceasefire. The four zones include the Idlib Province, certain parts of neighboring areas in the Latakia, Hama and Aleppo provinces, as well as some areas in the Daraa and Quneitra provinces in southern Syria. Damascus took control of three of the four zones in 2018, but the fourth one, which covers the Idlib province and certain parts of the Latakia, Hama and Aleppo provinces, is still controlled by terrorists from the Jabhat al-Nusra terror group (outlawed in Russia).

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Syrian conflict

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