Turkish main opposition party welcomes Idlib cease-fire

By Emin Avundukluoglu

ANKARA (AA) - Turkey's main opposition party on Friday hailed a recent cease-fire agreement with Russia to stop fighting between conflict parties in Syria.

Welcoming the agreement as "extraordinarily positive" for Turkish soldiers in the war-torn region, lawmaker Unal Cevikoz told parliament members that Ankara should "conduct a joint fight against the all terror groups with Russia and Syria."

Cevikoz, who is the deputy chair of the Republican People's Party (CHP), called on the government to give up its struggle on changing Syrian regime and administration.

Ankara and Moscow agreed to a ceasefire effective as of midnight Thursday amid recent clashes between the Turkish military and Syrian regime forces that left many dead on both sides.

As part of the agreement, all military activities will end in Idlib and a security corridor will be established 6 kilometers (3.7 miles) deep to the north and to the south from the M4 highway.

Joint Turkish-Russian patrols will also begin on March 15 along the M4 highway from the settlement of Trumba -- 2 km (1.2 miles) to the west of Saraqib -- to the settlement of Ain al-Havr, according to the deal.