ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — Russian President Vladimir Putin is hosting Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan to discuss a range of issues including Syria and the potential humanitarian crisis in Idlib.
"Political, economic and energy-related issues that are of concern to Turkey and Russia will be discussed and views on regional and international matters, especially Syria, will be exchanged during the talks to be held during the visit," read a statement from the Turkish presidency.
The visit will be "a one-day working visit" with "relevant ministers and officials."
The Kremlin confirmed the meeting and that the situation in Syria will be on the agenda.
They last met on September 7 in Tehran with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani.
Turkish-backed rebels are holed up in western Syria's Idlib governorate awaiting an impending Russian- and Iranian-backed assault on some estimated 10,000 Al-Qaeda affiliated fighters. The governorate is hosting millions of IDPs, increasing its population to 3 million.
Erdogan and the United Nations have warned of a humanitarian catastrophe if the "bloodbath" of an offensive goes ahead.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported Syrian regime forces shelled in southeastern Idlib and northern Hama on Sunday night.
The Observatory called the shelling another violation of "a truce" between the three guarantors — Russia, Turkey, Iran — of ceasefires agreements between the regime and opposition.
from Rudaw https://ift.tt/2OtwfWr
via Defense News
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