This map provides a look at the possible scenario of De-Escalation Zone Operation in Syria’s Idlib province. On October 12, the Turkish Armed Forces (TAF) entered Idlib and seized villages on the contact line between Idlib militants and Kurdish militias in northern Aleppo. Now, they are fortifying their positions in the area.
Following this advance, the TAF will likely continue its operation with an aim to build a buffer zone in the border area. At the same time, the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) and its allies, backed by Russian forces, should establish control over the Hama-Aleppo highway.
However, this will be possible only in case if all goes under the de-escalation agreement zone plan. Most likely, the both sides will face fierce resistance from Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (formerly Jabhat al-Nusra, the Syrian branch of al-Qaeda) in the Idlib countryside. At the same time, the TAF has much more chances to reach some kind of agreement with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham than the SAA has ever had.
Tensions between the TAF and the Kurdish-dominated Syrian Democratic Forces will also create additional problems for the Turkish side.
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