Sources deny attack on Turkish observation post

ANKARA

Security sources refuted allegations about an attack on a Turkish observation post in Syria's Idlib.

The allegations went viral on some social media platforms on Wednesday.

According to the claims, Turkish military observation post no. 10 in Idlib de-escalation zone in northwestern Syria came under attack, but there were no reports confirming an attack, the security sources told Anadolu Agency.

Turkey and Russia agreed last September to turn Idlib into a de-escalation zone where acts of aggression are expressly prohibited.

Under the deal, opposition groups in Idlib would remain in areas where they were already present, while Russia and Turkey would carry out joint patrols in the area to prevent a resumption of fighting.

The Syrian regime and its allies, however, have consistently broken the terms of the cease-fire, launching frequent attacks inside the de-escalation zone.

The de-escalation zone is currently home to some four million civilians, including hundreds of thousands recently displaced by regime forces throughout the war-weary country.

Syria has been locked in a vicious civil war since early 2011, when the Assad regime cracked down on pro-democracy protests with unexpected ferocity.

Since then, hundreds of thousands of people have been killed and more than 10 million others displaced, according to UN officials.

*Writing by Zehra Nur Duz