At least 22 fighters of the Syrian government were killed in an attack by jihadists near the province of Idlib, where the demilitarized zone is planned, the opposition Syrian Observatory for Human Rights announced this evening.
That buffer zone of 15 to 20 kilometers is foreseen according to the Russian-Turkish agreement. The agreement was supposed to enter into force in mid-October, but it is not respected on the ground in some parts of Idlib.
Clashes continue to frequently erupt between Syrian forces, rebels and jihadists.
The presidents of Russia and Turkey, Vladimir Putin and Recep Tayyip Erdogan, agreed on September 17 that a demilitarized zone under Russian-Turkish control would be established in Idlib by October 15. According to the agreement, all jihadists and all heavy weapons must leave that zone.
Idlib is the last major rebel stronghold in Syria where President Bashar al-Assad's forces previously announced an offensive to take over the area.
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