Northwestern Syria offensive

Russia's military said the United States had mounted air strikes in Syria's Idlib without forewarning Moscow or Ankara, endangering a ceasefire there, Russian news agencies reported on Sept. 1. 

A joint Turkish-U.S. operation center to establish and manage a safe zone in northeast Syria is fully operational, Turkey's Defence Minister Hulusi Akar said on Aug. 24.

Assad regime's ceasefire violations in Idlib, northwestern Syria, is causing a "major humanitarian crisis," Turkish president told his Russian counterpart over phone.

Continuing its violations of last year's cease-fire agreement, the Syrian regime on Aug. 22 attacked a Turkish military observation post in northwestern Syria with harassment fire, officials told Anadolu Agency. 

Syrian regime forces supported by Russian jets on Aug. 22 fully sieged the de-escalation zones in northwestern Syria by violating Astana and Idlib agreements, officials told Anadolu Agency.  

In that attack three civilians died and 12 more were wounded, said Reuters.

The ministry said that the attack is a breach of an agreement and cooperation between Ankara and Russia, and that Moscow was informed about the Turkish convoy in advance.

The U.S. called on the Syrian regime and its allied forces Aug. 19 to immediately halt all hostilities in northwestern Syria's Idlib province after an airstrike on a Turkish convoy killed three civilians and injured 12 others.        

Turkey "strongly" condemned an air strike on its military convoy heading through Syria's Idlib province on Aug. 19. Defense officials said that the attack was undertaken by the "regime forces" and was a violation of agreements with Russia.

At least 19 civilians were killed in two days when Russian airstrikes hit a Syrian town inside the Idlib de-escalation zone, the White Helmets civil defense group said on Aug. 17.

A rebel group backed by Turkey will send reinforcements to the front lines of the last major rebel enclave in northern Syria to oppose a government offensive, it said on Aug. 15.