Syria Conflict: Turkey and Russia announce Idlib ceasefire – BBC News

A ceasefire in Syria's Idlib province has just come into effect in a bid to avoid a major escalation. In Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, also agreed to establish a security corridor and joint patrols. Last month, 36 Turkish soldiers were killed in Idlib during a Russian-backed Syrian government offensive. Turkey, which backs opposition rebels, responded by attacking Syrian troops. The incident sparked fears of a direct military conflict between Turkey and Russia.

The BBC’s International Correspondent Orla Guerin reports on the aftermath of Russian airstrikes that hit a farm in Maarat Misrin, Idlib Province in the the early hours of Thursday morning killing 16 civilians.

The UN estimates almost a million people in Idlib have fled their homes since December due to the fighting. It’s put further pressure on Turkey which already hosts almost four million Syrian refugees. After repeated threats to the European Union, which it accuses of inaction, Turkey opened its border to Greece last week. Since then thousands of migrants have been trying to cross into the EU. The BBC’s Middle East Editor Jeremy Bowen has been on the Turkey-Greece border.

Part of the BBC News at Ten’s coverage of the Syrian War

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