Idlib Governorate

The Turkish and Russian military chiefs had a discussion of developments in Syria's Idlib province on the phone, the Turkish army said on Jan. 30.

Turkish Chief of General Staff Yaşar Güler and his Russian counterpart Valery Gerasimov discussed the latest developments in Idlib, a de-escalation zone in northwestern Syria, the Turkish Armed Forces said on Twitter

Recent attacks in Idlib province of Syria and the following refugee influx to the Turkish border are a national security issue for Turkey, main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) spokesperson Faik Öztrak said on Jan. 29.

At least ten civilians were killed when Russian warplanes hit residential areas in Idlib, a de-escalation zone in northwestern Syria, overnight, Turkey's state-run Anadolu Agency reported on Jan. 30.         

Syrian regime forces on Jan. 28 entered a key rebel-held town in the country's northwest after surrounding it on three sides, sending thousands of people fleeing to safety in areas farther north, a war monitor and state media said.

A renewed drive by Bashar al-Assad regime to recapture rebel-held territory in Syria's northwest sparked a fresh exodus of many thousands of civilians toward Turkey's border on Jan. 28 amid heavy airstrikes, state-run Anadolu Agency reported on Jan. 28.

The assault took place for the first time since a ceasefire agreed with Turkey came into force two days ago, witnesses and rebels sources said to Reuters.
They said the towns of Khan al Subl, Maasaran and several others in southern Idlib province were targeted after a two-day lull in aerial strikes against the last rebel bastion that had been bombed continuously for over a month.

A new cease-fire in an area of northwestern Syria rocked by violence is set to start just after midnight on Jan. 12, Turkey announced.

Turkey had pushed hard for the cease-fire, coming after Idlib, Syria endured months of battering by the Assad regime and its allies, sending about a million war-weary civilian refugees flocking to the Turkish border.

Over 20,000 civilians have fled Syria's northwestern region of Idlib to places near the Turkish border in the last two days, amid heightened bombardments by the Syrian regime and Russia, state-run Anadolu Agency reported on Jan. 9.

At least 10 civilians were killed, 20 others injured on Sunday in Syrian regime's intensified attacks on settlement areas in Idlib de-escalation zone, according to initial reports.

US President Donald Trump and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan agreed on the need to de-escalate tensions in Idlib, Syria, the White House said on Thursday, a day after eight people were killed in a Syrian missile strike in the province.
"The leaders agreed on the need for de-escalation in Idlib, Syria, in order to protect civilians," the White House said in a statement.