Russian warplanes on Sunday carried out airstrikes on residential areas in the west and south of northwestern Syria’s Idlib.
The planes took off from the Hmeimim military air base in Latakia and specifically targeted residential areas. The sound of explosions was heard from Turkey's southern border district of Reyhanlı in Hatay. In a total of 28 airstrikes, two civilians were injured.
Turkey and Russia, which back opposing sides in the Syrian civil war, agreed on March 5 to halt military activities in the northwestern Idlib region after an escalation of violence displaced nearly 1 million people and brought the two sides close to confrontation.
The deal addresses Turkey's main concerns, stopping a flow of refugees and preventing the deaths of more Turkish soldiers on the ground.
As part of the agreement, Turkish and Russian forces have been carrying out joint patrols along the M4 highway linking Syria's east and west and established a security corridor on either side of it. The first patrols took place on March 15.
Idlib has long been under siege by the Bashar Assad regime forces and its allies, with previous cease-fires in the region having been plagued with violations.
Since April 2018, attacks on the last opposition stronghold have dramatically intensified and caused new waves of refugees to move toward the Turkish border, putting Turkey, which already hosts 3.7 million Syrians, in a difficult position.
As a result, Turkey, which has the second-largest army in NATO, has sent troops and equipment into the region to stop the Syrian regime's advance. Currently, Turkish soldiers are stationed in the region to protect the local population and keep out various terrorist groups.
