Turkish forces are seen in a convoy on a main highway between Damascus and Aleppo on August 29, 2018. (AFP)
The Turkish military has reinforced its observation post near the town of Surman in the southeastern countryside of Syria’s Idlib, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR).
According to the London-based monitoring group, a Turkish convoy consisting of four vehicles arrived at the post on September 8.
The Surman post is one of twelve such position established last year in the framework of the Astana Process. The post is located 15km to the southeast of the key city of Ma`arat al-Nu`man, the biggest urban center in southern Idlib.
Click to see the full-size image
In the last few weeks, several pro-government sources reported that Ma`arat al-Nu`man will be the next target for the Syrian Arab Army (SAA). The army is supposedly preparing an operation to capture the city, which is located on the strategic Damascus-Aleppo highway.
In order to reach Ma`arat al-Nu`man, the SAA will have to besiege the Surman observation post. This explains why the Turkish military is reinforcing the post, especially amid reports on a nearing end of the current ceasefire.
