Battle for Sarakib

1. Syria.

Reporters of ANNA NEWS report — the Syrian army liberated the city of Kafr Awaid, located in the south of Idlib. Over the past day, the 25th division went from Kafr Nabeul to the western direction for more than 15 kilometers. The strategic height of Klekel was captured. The ‘SANA’ news agency reports that the government forces liberated 15 villages near Kafr Awaid within 24 hours, after defeating the terrorists from ‘Jebhat al-Nusra’. The Syrian troops started clearing the residential areas, and demining the streets.

2 Syria

The information of some Turkish mass media outlets about the seizure by the troops of the Syrian «moderate opposition» of the city of Sarakib in the province of Idlib is false — the ‘TASS’ reports while citing their military sources. The SANA news agency reports that the Syrian army is engaged in fierce battles with the terrorists that are attacking the defensive lines of the government troops in order to regain their control over the strategic city. The Turkish forces provide fire support to the terrorists of ‘Jebhat al-Nusra’ and to the armed opposition groups. The Syrian artillery fires intensively at the attacking terrorists — there are dozens of dead and wounded in their ranks. Several enemy armored vehicles have been destroyed. Earlier, the ‘Reuters’ reported, with a reference to the representatives of the illegal armed groups, that the armed groups of the so-called Syrian opposition, supported by Turkey, claimed that they were able to regain the control over the strategically important city of Sarakib.

3 The USA

The US Secretary of Defense, Mark Esper, stated that the US do not plan to return the US troops back to the Turkish-Syrian border, or to take any part in the conflict in Syria. The head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the US Armed Forces, Mark Milli, added that the fight against the ‘Islamic State’ in the eastern Syria remains the primary concern of the United States. “We have neither the intention nor the plans to take part in the civil war in Syria again, or to return our forces to the Syrian-Turkish border” — Mark Milli explained.

4 Syria

The Iranian news agency «Fars» reports, while citing their sources, that the US sent hundreds of trucks with building materials and equipment to fortify their bases in north-eastern Syria. «‘Fars» reports that over the past two days, at least 300 American trucks crossed the Iraqi-Syrian border at the Al-Waleed border checkpoint, and headed to the north-eastern Syrian provinces of Hasakah and Deir ez-Zor. Some of the trucks arrived to the cities of Tell Birak and Tell Baidar, in the province of Hasakah. Another part of the materials was delivered to the Al Omar oil field, next to which the US plan to build a fortified zone.

5 Russia

The spokesman of the Russian president, Dmitry Peskov, stated that Vladimir Putin’s plans for 5th of March do not include a meeting with the Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Dmitry Peskov added that there is no trip to Istanbul in the presidential schedule for 5th of March. Dmitry Peskov noted that there is an on-going dialogue between Russia and Turkey at the expert and working level. «First of all, it is aimed to discuss the crisis around Idlib». On 26th of February, the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced his plans to meet with the Russian President Vladimir Putin on 5th of March, in Istanbul.

6. Qatar

The official representative of the Qatari Taliban political office, Sohail Shahin, announced that the agreement between the US and the Taliban will be signed on Saturday, 29th of February — The ‘Khaama Press’ news agency reports. The signing ceremony will take place in the capital of Qatar, Doha. Foreign ministers and special representatives from 26 countries are invited to the ceremony. Russia will be represented by the Special Representative of the Russian President for Afghanistan, Zamir Kabulov. From the Taliban side, the agreement will be signed by Mullah Abdul Gani Baradar. Constantine Reztsov, specially for ANNA NEWS.