Idlib gives Turkish military a warm welcome

Locals in the de-escalation zone in Syria’s Idlib welcomed the Turkish Armed Forces (TAF) troops dispatched to the region to observe the ceasefire following the Friday prayers.

The people of Darat Izza, which is located in Idlib’s de-escalation zone near western Aleppo, gathered after the Friday prayers and showed their support of the deployment of Turkish troops in Idlib.

The locals were holding the Free Syrian Army (FSA) flags and posters that read “Welcome to Darat Izza,” “Welcome to your country, grandchildren of Mehmet the Conqueror,” “Thank you for protecting the people of Syria” and “Welcome to your homeland” in Turkish and Arabic. They also chanted slogans of welcome to the Turkish troops.

The military campaign, launched by the Turkish Armed Forces to establish observation posts to monitor the ceasefire regime in the de-escalation zone in Idlib at its first stage, is being conducted along the Idlib-Afrin line.

The TAF on Thursday began setting up observation posts in northern Syria's Idlib province in line with the "de-escalation" agreement made with Iran and Russia last month in Kazakhstan’s capital Astana.