Turkey and Russia join forces in Idlib push

Turkey is sending troops across the border into Syria’s Idlib province as part of a joint mission with Russia to monitor a de-escalation agreement and clear the region of Al-Qaeda-linked extremists


Idlib province
500 Turkish soldiers to be stationed in west, with Russian troops in east. Most of province under control of former Al-Qaeda affiliate Tahrir al-Sham

De-escalation zones agreed between Syrian government and moderate rebels*


Syrian government
Turkey and allies
Rebel forces 
Tahrir al-Sham
Kurdish militia
So-called Islamic State

TURKEY
River Euphrates
Kobane
Afrin 
Al-Bab
Manbij
ALEPPO
Aleppo
RAQQA
Idlib
IDLIB
LATAKIA
Latakia
MEDITERRANEAN SEA
TARTUS
Tartus
HAMA
Hama
Homs
SYRIA
HOMS
LEBANON
30km 20 miles

TURKEY
SYRIA
IRAQ
JORDAN
200km 120 miles


Sources: IHS Jane’s, LiveUAMap 
*Approximate boundaries shown 
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