Syria–Turkey border

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.

Turkish police detained five Syrian nationals in Ankara preparing a terrorist attack on New Year's Eve celebrations, according to a TV station quoted by BGNES. They are affiliated with the Islamic State terrorist group.

At present, there are terrorist groups only in Syria's Idlib province. The government army has launched an offensive against them. 

The European Union on Dec. 29 called on Syria's regime and its allies to halt "indiscriminate" military attacks on civilians in the country's northwest, where an intensifying bombardment by Damascus and Russian forces has displaced tens of thousands.    

Turkey will definitely stay at its observation posts monitoring a cease-fire in northwestern Syria, and its soldiers there have orders to respond to any acts of hostility, said Turkey's defense chief on Dec. 28.

Intense attacks by Bashar al-Assad's regime, Russia and Iran backed-groups have forced thousands of civilians to flee from Syria's Idlib province which has been designated de-escalation zone.

Since the offensive began last week, the regime and its allies have launched a military campaign mainly in the cities of Maarat Al-Numan and Saraqib as well as the surrounding rural areas.

Turkey and Russia have completed their eighth joint patrol in northeastern Syria, the Turkish Defense Ministry has announced.

Turkish President Recep Erdogan and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, will meet today in Sochi. The main topic of discussion will be the situation in Syria.

Journalists following the "Operation Peace Spring" in the border town of Nusaybin in the southeastern province of Mardin were the target of a sniper attack by the YPG on Oct. 11.

A U.N. inquiry into a series of regime and Russian attacks on U.N.-supported facilities in northwestern Syria's Idlib province will begin this month's end, the international body announced on Sept. 13.

Turkey warned Damascus on Aug. 20 "not to play with fire" a day after a Turkish military convoy was attacked by an airstrike in northwest Idlib province of Syria.