Russian-Turkish patrol reaches west Idlib on M4 for first time

IDLIB, Syria (North Press) – Russian-Turkish forces conducted a joint military patrol on Tuesday on the M4 highway in the southern countryside of Idlib, reaching the town of Bdama in west Idlib for the first time. 

A field source told North Press that this is the 20th patrol of its kind since the patrols began between Russia and Turkey on March 15, but this patrol travelled the longest distance of any prior patrols. 

The source said that the patrol was about to reach the previously agreed-upon end point in the village of Ein al-Hor in Latakia countryside. 

Turkey deployed their forces on Tuesday morning on the road between the town of Neirab and the city of Ariha, until the city of Jisr Shughour in order to provide the entry of vehicles of the patrol.  

These events come after Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS, formerly al-Nusra Front) managed to take over areas under the control of Guards of Religion Organization in west Idlib.