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For the second time within a few hours, warplanes of the Russian Aerospace Forces carried out a series of airstrikes on terrorists’ positions in the southern Idlib countryside.
The airstrikes, which occurred in the afternoon of April 26, targeted positions and vehicles of terrorist groups near the towns of Hirsh al-Qasabin, Hirsh Abdin, Tramla, Hizareen, Hobait and Kafr Nabl.
These airstrikes are apparently a response to the recent rocket attack on the Russian Hmeimim airbase on the Syrian coast. The attack was carried out by the “Wa Harid al-Muminin” operations room, a coalition of al-Qaeda-affiliated groups that was formed in Idlib last year.
Under the Russian-Turkish demilitarized zone agreement, that was reached last September, no terrorist group is allowed to have any presence within a 15-20km reduce around Idlib. Any attack on Syrian or Russian forces is also strictly forbidden.
Turkey has failed to implement its commitments within the agreement so far. Terrorist groups, likes the ones involved in the Wa Harid al-Muminin operation room, are still active inside and around Idlib. In fact, the influence of these terrorist groups is growing rapidly.
Russian President’s Special Envoy to Syria, Alexander Lavrentiev, stressed a day earlier that the Russian airstrikes on Idlib terrorists will continue. However, local observers believe that the situation in the northern governorate needs a more comprehensive military solution.
I think Russia will cleanup Idlib from Trump’s proxies.
it’s looking more like it every day
Turkey doesn’t need to maintain its end of the deal, because it knows that Russia needs Turkey more then vice versa. He who cares less in a relationship always has the upper hand. This is why Russia puts up with Turkey’s bullshit, and why there is not going to be any Idlib offensive any time soon.
It is very short sited to think that Russia needs Turkey more than vise versa.
Russia needs Turkey to be at odds with the US and the rest of NATO, as that would be a major strategic coup to achieve against the US. It needs Turkey to help stabilize Syria and to put pressure on the Syrian Kurds. Without that pressure the Syrian Kurds would probably have declared independence from Damascus and even gone to war over that. Now the Kurds still need to pay hommage to Damascus and keep their options open.
In contrast all Turkey needs from Russia is to keep the SAA out of Idlib and to be able to play Russia against the US to get the best possible deal from either. And potentially in a war between Turkey and Syria (as it currently is) on its own Turkey could easily beat Syria. Syria is a wrecked country with a wrecked military that is entirely dependent on Russia, and Iran to a lesser degree. It cannot hope to beat Turkey on its own.
Ergo Russia needs Turkey more then vice versa.
so far 30+ Russian AF strikes against terrorists in Idlibistan Zoo since morning :) rats in Idlibistan soon to be steamrolled by SAA this summer let’s hope