The Astana Agreement is on going on the ground
Turkey is currently working on the areas around Idleb on the town of Jisr Al Shoughor as a preparation for updates upcoming Astana meeting between the three guarantors Russia, Iran and Turkey) in a bid to identify Turkish observation points in many areas, around Jisr Al Shoughour and the northern west Hama hills of Al Ghab.
Those areas where armed factions such as HTS (formerly known Al Nusra front) and Syria Liberation front are controlling it under the supervision of Turkey.
Sources said that a military convoy consisting of ten pickup trucks carrying Turkish officers accompanied by members of the «Al Sham Corps» entered the area of Khirbet Al Jawz crossing in the area countryside.
The direction of the convoy to the village of Badama in the western countryside as well, in order to sight survey the area of Jabal Al Akawi near the town, in order to establish a Turkish observation point on the top of the mountain which is an important and vital location in which Jabal Al represents as a strategic point to uncover the Kurdish mountain areas and Turkmen, through town of Jisr Al Shoughour.
A field sources confirms that this Turkish survey took place in the area of Sarmani in the plain of Al Ghab and headed to the countryside north east of Lattakia near the village of Kabaina and Kurds mountain and the village of Marabaya which is overlooking the countryside of Latakia and the north of western Idlib, up to Jisr Al Shoughour and the plain of Al Ghab and Al Madeq Castel in rural Hama to detect sensitive points which the Turkish army can establish an observation points and begin to put them under the umbrella of the De-escalation zone in order to end the armed presence and avoid military strikes by the Syrian and Russian forces.
The field sources said that Turkish officers met periodically with the officials of armed groups and factions in the above-mentioned areas and inform them that the Russians and the Syrian army decided to reach the town of Jisr Al Shoughur as soon as the settlement in northern countryside of Homs over, and the opposition factions will not gonna be able to stand military confrontation, and Turkey will not object to this matter, which was discussed initially in the last meetings in Astana and will discuss in detail at the next meeting mid-May.
The sources confirmed that the Turkish officers told the factions leaders and the opposition armed groups that they have to prepare to leave their weapons, and the Turkish officers made a pledge from the political leadership in Turkey to ensure the good implementation of the agreements of Astana and to provide protection and immunity to the leaders and their families and militants of the factions at the upcoming settlements, saying that Turkish officers told all the faction leaders which they called them for the meeting that the Turkish observation points that will be deployed in the area will be responsible for monitoring the proper conduct of settlements in areas of agreement to reduce the escalation in the area.
The plain of Al Ghab region located in the middle of three Syrian governorates: Hama — Idlib — Lattakia and overlooks the town of Jisr Al Shoughur which is near to the Syrian — Turkish border.
It’s a geographical location controls transportation routes between the coast and the Syrian north, overlooking the central region of Syria.
There is a small area in the north east countryside of Lattakia that still remaining under the control of opposition armed groups and most important area of Kurds mountain and the Mountain of Turkmen near Turkey.
Any settlement in the plain of Al Ghab and Jisr Al Shoughur and the two mountains of Turkmen and Kurds will affect the status of the presence of HTS (formerly known as Al Nusra front) in Idlib and increase its siege and isolation, paving the way for the next stage which is the liberation of edit Idlib, that Turkey prefer it to be through HTS (formerly known as Al Nusra front)break up itself and gradually dissolves in other factions with by any mean forcing absence of its leaders, which Turkey guarantees, which is justify the assassinations of many armed groups leaders in Idlib, which is taken place for while and it’s still continue Which apparently aiming to eliminate individuals who are an obstacle to what is being done.
Turkey, particularly, is working to determine the fate of many leaders of the armed groups, including Abu Muhammad Al Jawlani the leader of HTS (formerly known as Al Nusra front), while the Russian side has threaten to largely support the Syrian army to launch massive operation in Idlib to annihilate the armed groups and entirely liberate Idlib province by force.
field sources revealed that, the Turkish army prefer to leave the issue of Idlib after until the upcoming early Turkish presidential elections over, which will take place next June and will make commitments in the next meeting of Astana to solve the dilemma of Idlib politically or via military operation if it necessary, but after passing the entitlement of the presidential elections in Turkey so as not to affect any military action In Idlib on Erdogan’s popularity in Turkey.
