Russian and Turkish officials began the third round of talks in Ankara on Wednesday to discuss the situation in Idlib, Syria.
Violence in the region has already led to more than a million people fleeing to the north near the Turkish border, and thousands of families are now camped out in the winter conditions without adequate shelter, food, or access to healthcare. On Tuesday, just one day before the talks were scheduled to begin, 8 schools were bombed in Idlib, killing 21 people, including 6 children. On the same day, opposition fighters seized the town of Nairab, their first gain against the advancing Syrian government forces since Turkey entered the battle in early February.
Russia controls the region’s airspace and has systematically conducted bombings against Turkey-backed rebels backed in support of a months-long offensive by the Assad regime to regain control of the country’s last opposition stronghold. Earlier this month, Turkish President Recep Erdogan again called on Assad and his allies to pull back to the previous ceasefire line, vowing to drive Syrian forces from Idlib and expressing determination to assist displaced Syrians.
Though Idlib lies within a de-escalation zone laid out in the 2018 deal between Turkey and Russia, the Syrian regime and its allies have consistently violated the terms of the agreement, launching frequent attacks inside the territory, where acts of aggression are expressly prohibited.
The current talks are aimed at reducing tensions in the region. Participants include Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister Sedat Onal, Russian Presidential envoy for Syria Sergey Vershinin and special envoy for Syria Alexander Lavrentiev. President Erdogan has also been pushing for a four-way summit with Russia, France, and Germany to address the escalating violence in Syria, but the Kremlin has thus far remained non-committal.
Image Source: Middle East Monitor