Sarp Ozer
February 27, 2020•Update: February 27, 2020
ANKARA
Turkey rejected allegations Thursday by Russian media outlets that claimed Turkish Armed Forces opened fire against Russian aircrafts in Idlib, northwestern Syria.
The allegations that Turkey targeted Russia in Idlib de-escalation zone do not reflect the truth, according to information Anadolu Agency obtained from reliable sources.
Earlier on Thursday, Turkish and Russian delegations held a meeting in Ankara to discuss the situation in northwestern Syria.
Turkish side told their Russian counterparts the importance of implementing the 2018 Sochi deal and restoring the cease-fire between the conflict parties, according to diplomatic sources.
In September 2018, Turkey and Russia agreed to turn Idlib into a de-escalation zone in which acts of aggression are expressly prohibited.
But more than 1,800 civilians have been killed in attacks by regime and Russian forces, flouting a 2018 cease-fire and a new one that started in January.
More than 1.7 million Syrians have moved near the Turkish border because of intense attacks in recent months.
Attacks by the regime and its allies have also targeted Turkish soldiers on a peace mission in the region in recent weeks.
Turkey remains the country with the most refugees in the world, hosting more than 3.7 million migrants since the start of the Syrian civil war in 2011.
*Writing by Gozde Bayar
