MOSCOW, February 3. /TASS/. De-escalation of tensions around Syria’s Idlib Governorate can be achieved through new agreements from the countries guarantors of the Astana process (Russia, Iran and Turkey), Boris Dolgov, senior researcher from the Center for Arab and Islamic Studies at the Russian Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Oriental Studies, told TASS on Monday.
Turkey should have "ensured the withdrawal of radical Islamist groups and their abandoning heavy weapons, but this has not been done," the expert noted. "Moreover, some of these armed Islamist groups are supported by Turkey. As a result, their radical part has practically continued combat operations and shelling of settlements, including neighborhoods of Aleppo and positions of the Syrian government forces," he explained.
"Now, in order to scale down the standoff between the Turkish and Syrian armies, and have Turkey’s compliance with its commitments, talks are needed, new agreements between Turkey, Russia and Iran," the analyst said.
According to him, Russia plays a major role in the settlement in Idlib. "Of course, Russia’s role is the biggest, since Russia and Turkey signed an agreement on Idlib," he went on to say. "Russia must make its voice heard, and possibly urge Turkey to comply with its commitments, revise its relations with Islamist groups that operate in Idlib, violating all agreements and continuing provcative shelling of civilian settlements," Dolgov said.
"Russia is the main actor in the Syrian settlement," he stressed.
According to Turkey’s Defense Ministry, six soldiers were killed and nine others injured on Monday when their positions near Saraqib, Idlib province, came under fire. Ankara argues that the Syrian army was responsible, although it had been notified of the positions the Turkish forces were taking in advance.
Russia’s Center for Reconciliation of the Opposing Parties in Syria said in a news release that Turkish troops last night came under an attack of Syrian government forces in Idlib, which were conducting fire against terrorists, because Turkey had failed to notify Russia about the movements of its forces.