Turkey, Russia agree on ceasefire in Syria's Idlib

More than 300 civilians including at least 100 children have been killed in Idlib since December last year. Nearly, one million have been internally displaced to the border with Turkey, most of whom are forced to camp out in the open - the worst humanitarian crisis in Syria's nine-year civil war.

Ankara:Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday announced a ceasefire in Idlib, following a meeting in Moscow that lasted six hours.

"At 00.01 tonight, as in, from midnight, the ceasefire will be put in place," Erdogan said.

He added that Turkey which has sent thousands of troops into Idlib to repel the Syrian army, would not remain silent if the Syrian government forces continued attacks and warned that Ankara would retaliate with full force.

Meanwhile, Putin said that Russia did not always agree with its Turkish partners, but hoped the deal will serve as a good basis for ending the fighting in the Idlib de-escalation zone, put an end to the suffering of the civilian population and contain a growing humanitarian crisis.

More than 300 civilians including at least 100 children have been killed in Idlib since December last year.

According to the United Nations, nearly one million have been internally displaced to the border with Turkey, most of whom are forced to camp out in the open - the worst humanitarian crisis in Syria's nine-year civil war.

Erdogan has said that both leaders have agreed to help these refugees return to their homes.

Moreover, Ankara and Moscow also agreed to establish a secure corridor along a key east-west highway in Syria's Idlib and hold joint patrols on it as of March 15.

"The secure corridor would stretch 6km to the north and 6km to the south of the M4 highway," the leaders said in a joint statement read out by the Turkish and Russian foreign ministers.

The two leaders reaffirmed their strong commitment to the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of Syria during their meeting.

(With inputs from ANI)