Ankara makes overtures to Idlib militants
The English-language edition of Yeni Safak has reported that Turkey asked the group to dissolve itself and for the militants, who seized Idlib province last month after routing Turkish-backed Ahrar al-Sham rebels, to relinquish the critical Bab al-Hawa border crossing linking Idlib to Turkey’s Hatay province.
Turkey has asked Syria’s most muscular Sunni Arab opposition militia, the al-Qaeda-linked Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), to disband itself, a leading Turkish pro-government daily claimed today.
In its article “Turkey’s plan to save Syria’s Idlib from occupation,” the English-language edition of Yeni Safak reported that Turkey had asked the group to dissolve itself, offering, “its fighters could join the ranks of other opposition [groups] if they elected to do so.” Turkey also wants the militants, who seized virtually full control of Idlib province last month after routing Turkish-backed Ahrar al-Sham rebels, to relinquish the critical Bab al-Hawa border crossing linking Idlib to Turkey’s Hatay province to “a group approved by Turkey.”
