Putin says situation in Idlib 'under control'

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Saturday that the situation in the Syrian province of Idlib was “under control”, Anadolu reports.

Commenting on the Syrian regime attack on a Turkish observation post in Idlib on Thursday, Putin said he discussed the issue at a meeting with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan. One Turkish soldier was martyred in the Syrian regime attack.

“As for our Turkish partners and friends, we work with them on a daily basis [in Syria]. We are aware of all the events taking place there and together we try to monitor them. We have discussed this issue and the situation is under control,” Putin said at a news conference in Osaka, Japan where he came to attend the G20 Leaders’ Summit.

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The Bashar al-Assad regime forces attacked the 10th observation post in the Zawiya region with artillery and mortar fire.

Material damage was reported and the fire it caused is yet to be extinguished.

The Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) sent reinforcements to the area on Friday night, as the area has been targeted several times by Assad regime forces over the past three months.

It was the sixth such attack near the observation post, with similar attacks by the regime having been reported on April 29, May 4, 12, 31, and June 8.