MOSCOW, March 11. /TASS/: Sporadic violations of a ceasefire agreed by Moscow and Ankara are taking place in Syria’s Idlib de-escalation zone, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday.
"Sporadic violations of the ceasefire continue to take place there [in Idlib]. We keep Russia informed and we would like the necessary measures to be taken. We would like the temporary ceasefire to turn into a permanent one," Erdogan stated in a speech in parliament, aired on NTV. According to him, ceasefire violations are committed by "the Syrian regime and units that cooperate with it."
"After the ceasefire was declared, Idlib was finally able to take a breath. As long as the other party abides by the agreement, we will remain compliant. If they stop fulfilling their obligations, we will come down on them with greater force," Erdogan pledged.
Meanwhile, the Russian Center for Reconciliation of the Opposing Sides in Syria has been recording single cases of ceasefire violations since the ceasefire took effect on March 6. In particular, terrorists shelled two settlements in the Aleppo province on Tuesday, the center informed.
Presidents Vladimir Putin of Russia and Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey agreed at their Moscow talks on March 5 that a ceasefire would be declared in Idlib and a number of other measures would be taken to improve the situation in the Syrian province. In addition, Russian and Turkish troops will launch joint patrols along the M4 highway, where a security corridor will be created. Besides, Moscow and Ankara reaffirmed their commitment to preserving Syria’s sovereignty and agreed to continue a determined fight against terrorism.
