In a move rebel officials say is part of the de-escalation deal reached at Astana peace talks, Turkey has begun massing troops and armored vehicles along the Syrian border. The deployments include multiple different convoys heading to different border crossings.
The vehicles were mostly armored personnel carriers, but also included some tanks. Turkey, Russia, and Iran have agreed to set up new de-escalation zones for the next six months to try to facilitate more peace talks.
Turkey is expected to control parts of the Idlib Province under this deal, which stands to be a very complicated process, both because of the large number of rival Islamist rebels packed therein, and especially because the Nusra Front says they don’t intend to de-escalate.
The new zones intend to include Idlib, Homs, Latakia, Aleppo, Hama, and Eastern Ghouta, which if successful would cover a lot of the areas of non-ISIS combat in the country, and would bring much of the war into a state of de facto ceasefire.
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Three de-escalation zones have been functioning well for at least three months — except the recent addition, in Jordanian border.
The fourth one, Idlib, has just been set up during last Astana conference. This one is difficult, as it requires that the region be surrounded by checkpoints and observation positions. Turkey will have the hardest part — defending Ahrar Al-Sham from Al -Qaeda, or Nusra Front. Also, Jason should know that Nusra Frint position on deescalation zone does not matter. THEY ARE NOT PARTY TO IT, AS THEY ARE TREATED AS ISIS, so the fight against them will continue.
Deescalation zones — for all that signed up means participation in humanitarian aid distribution, setting up lical government functions, using militants for policing as well as security. Population is free to travel outside the zone, and for thise groups that signed up to additional reconciliation agreements — Givernment will provide funds for infrastructure repair, primarily water, electricity and key roads.
Much progress has been made in the three zines established earlier. While Turkey will have to engage militarily to deal bliw to Nusra Friont, Russia is sending in thousands of military police to assist the zones, and maintain security. It is still not known which sections will be supported by Iran.