'Turkey will continue its military actions in Idlib in coordination with Russia'

Turkey will continue its military actions in Syria's Idlib in coordination with Russia, Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said on Tuesday.

"The Sochi agreement with Russia is an important achievement for both countries involved and the people of the region," Akar said.

Turkey and Russia on Monday agreed to turn Idlib into a demilitarized zone after a meeting between President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his counterpart Vladimir Putin in Russia's coastal city of Sochi.

Ankara and Moscow signed a memorandum of understanding calling for the stabilization of the situation in Idlib's de-escalation zone, in which acts of aggression are prohibited.

The demilitarized zone will extend between 15 to 20 kilometers (9-12 miles) deep into Idlib by Oct. 15. The establishment of the zone will be accompanied by the withdrawal of armed groups, including the al-Nusra Front.

Erdoğan said Russia and Turkey will conduct joint patrols along the zone's perimeter, and the two countries will restore transit routes between Syria's Aleppo, Latakia, Hama by the end of 2018.