Operation in Idlib, Syria largely completed: Turkey

By Emin Avundukluoglu

ANKARA (AA) - Turkey’s president said on Tuesday that the Turkish military operation in Idlib, northwestern Syria is all but concluded.

Speaking to his ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party's parliamentary group, Recep Tayyip Erdogan said: "The operation in Idlib was largely completed."

"The Afrin issue is ahead of us," he added, referring to a city in northern Syria, and repeated an earlier statement on keeping regional peace: "We can come suddenly at night. We can suddenly hit at night."

Under the operation, in line with agreements reached at peace talks in Astana, Kazakhstan, Turkish troops were tasked with monitoring a cease-fire and establishing a series of observation posts along the line between the Syrian areas of Idlib and Afrin.

After crossing the frontier, Turkish troops were initially deployed near Afrin, which is situated along the Turkish border and is currently being held by the PKK/PYD terrorist group.

Since the PKK -- the PYD’s parent group -- launched its terror campaign in Turkey in 1984, some 40,000 people have been killed, including 1,200 since July 2015.

Turkey’s deployments are in line with agreements reached in Astana by the three guarantor states: Turkey, Russia and Iran.

During the deployment, Turkish troops were expected to set up more than 10 observation posts in Idlib.

While the Turkish military has been tasked with establishing observation posts in central Idlib, Russia has been tasked with doing the same in outlying areas.