Putin-Erdogan summit ended with agreement to establish demilitarized area in Idlib

Russian President Vladimir Putin and the Turkish President Recap Tayyip Erdogan reached an agreement to establish a demilitarized area in Idlib province in an indication of abandoning the military action plan.

17 September, 2018 16:28

NEWS DESK

The Russian president said after meeting his Turkish counterpart in the Russian Sochi resort, "We have decided to establish a demilitarized zone with a width of 15 to 20 kilometers along the contact line, starting from October 15 of this year."

Putin said that under the understandings with Ankara, the armed factions, including Jabhet al-Nusra will withdraw from the area, and the demilitarized zone will enter into force by October 15.

Under the agreement, all heavy weapons will be withdrawn from the area, while joint patrols of Russian and Turkish troops will monitor the dividing line.

For his part, the Turkish President Recap Tayyip Erdogan said, "We agreed to resolve the issue of Idlib according to the spirit of Astana meeting," and Erdogan stressed that Turkey will work to stop any provocative military action in Idlib.

Interfax news agency quoted from the Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu saying, "There will be no military operation in Idlib."

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