Turkish forces envelop city in Idlib to thwart Syrian gov't forces

Source: Xinhua| 2020-02-01 21:29:06|Editor: xuxin
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DAMASCUS, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- The Turkish forces brought in military gears to the surroundings of the city of Saraqeb in the countryside of Idlib, northwestern Syria, on Saturday, in a bid to prevent the progress of the Syrian government forces to the city, a war monitor reported.

Turkish military points were set up in the northern, southern and eastern rim of the city, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The oppositional watchdog said the move comes as a challenge to the Russian forces, which have a deal with the Turkish part regarding the map of deployment in Idlib in light of the Syrian military campaign in that region.

Saraqeb is the second goal of the Syrian Army following the capture of Maarat al-Numan city in the Idlib countryside.

Capturing Saraqeb will help the Syrian Army secure the highway linking Damascus in the south with Aleppo in the north.

The Turkish side has been supporting the rebel groups while Russia is backing the Syrian government forces.

Idlib has been the centerpiece of the negotiations between Russia and Turkey over the past year given the fact that it's the last major rebel stronghold in the country.

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