Idlib is the last rebel stronghold in Syria. Turkey and Russia have now agreed on the establishment of a demilitarized Zone. The greatest danger for the civilian population seems to have been averted.
It is a diplomatic victory for the Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan: He was able to convince the Russian President Vladimir Putin during a short visit in Sochi, the Syrian rebels zone of Idlib, up to 15. October a demilitarized Zone set up. All of the fighters of the Opposition would have to leave this 15-to 20-mile-wide Zone. Your heavy weapons should be deducted. Turkish soldiers and the Russian military police to control, therefore, the Zone together. The Russian defense Minister Sergei Shoigu was after the Meeting with the words quote, that is also an attack on Idlib, the last large contiguous territory under the rule of insurgents in Syria, was excluded.
The importance of a lasting peaceful solution in Idlib, especially for the civilian population, Ilyas Saliba: “In Idlib the lives of at least two and a half million people living in the Region, or in the course of the past few years there have fled to the game,” said middle East expert from Amnesty International, in an interview with Deutsche Welle. “Due to the previous war of course we know that in past Offensives, for example in HOMS, Aleppo, Eastern Ghouta, the resident civilian population tremendously under the indiscriminate bombardments by barrel bombs, cluster bombs, and poison gas had to suffer.”
Middle East Expert Ilyas Saliba
Turkish Self-Interest
Erdogan’s Intervention, the Russian President was also grounded in solid strategic interests. For Ankara, which has turned since the beginning of the Syria war against ruler Bashar al-Assad supports, a part of the Syrian Opposition. In addition to the humanitarian catastrophe, the Turkish government was also the threat of a mass migration in Turkey to the diplomatic most promising. The ACP-politician, Mustafa Yeneroglu made before the Meeting of Erdogan and Putin. Over 10,000 people had been on the run, so the Board of Directors member of the government party, the AKP: “Idlib province, which lies on the border with Turkey. Therefore, it is, of course, that the people, because Idlib is also the last de-escalation zone is to move in the direction of Turkey. Because you have to assume that almost a Million people will be headed to Turkey, and that will bring more great disasters.”
Idlib in the North-West is considered the last major rebel stronghold. By the civil war in Syria is fragmented completely
Another motive for the Turkish diplomacy Offensive was Yeneroglu under the table: The Turkish government wants to prevent at all costs the emergence of an Autonomous Kurdish Region on the border with Turkey. The government in Ankara fears that Kurds in Syria could help the Kurdish minority in Turkey. In order to reach agreement, it had given in the beginning of September for a summit meeting between Turkey, Russia and Iran. At that time, the Meeting was without result, came to an end.
Breathe in Berlin
In the political Berlin, the agreement to Idlib is likely to provide relief. Heiko Maas, the German foreign Minister, had made after a Meeting with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov at the end of last week via short message service Twitter that the German Position is clear.
To one of the most pressing issues expressed by the foreign Minister, however, Should Germany participate in a military action, if it would be in Syria for using poison gas? His party, the SPD, had flatly refused. His Cabinet colleague, defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen (CDU), did not like to exclude a German military strike, however. Only last week, the Syria envoy of the United States, James Jeffrey was asked, in discussions with the Federal government. The scientific service of the Bundestag had, in turn, determined to a German participation is already as international law and unconstitutional. By the agreement of Erdogan and Putin has resolved this issue by now is probably in the air.