Syrian Defense Minister Promises Damascus Will Regain Control Over Idlib Province

DAMASCUS (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 26th October, 2018) The Syrian government will regain control over the country's northwestern province of Idlib, Syrian Defense Minister Ali Abdullah Ayoub told the members of the People's Council, the country's parliament, on Thursday.

"It [Idlib] is one of the four de-escalation zones. The Syrian government has already regained control over three others. We will liberate all parts of Syria. This means that our Armed Forces are ready to fulfill their obligations when the situation ... comes to a deadlock, and they will ensure that every single region is controlled by the government," Ayoub told Syrian lawmakers.

Ayoub added that while the United States was losing all of its aces, the only one left was its cooperation with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). Ayoub slammed the United States and the SDF for their military operations carried out on the Syrian territories east to the Euphrates River, specifying that if the SDF did not engage in talks with the Syrian government, then the Syrian Armed Forces would liberate these territories forcefully.

Ayoub qualified the US and the UK forces presence in Syria as unlawful.

Idlib is the last major stronghold of militants in Syria, as the government has regained control over vast territories of the country following over seven years of armed conflict with opposition and militant groups.

Last month, Russia and Turkey agreed to establish a demilitarized zone in Idlib by October 15. Then it was reported that more time would be given for the implementation of their agreement. As of Wednesday, most heavy weaponry has been withdrawn from Idlib, while the number of ceasefire breaches has gone down by nearly 90 percent, according to Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar.