Turkey to host Syria summit with Russia, Iran

Turkish and Russian leaders agreed on Thursday to hold a trilateral meeting with Iran on Syria, in Istanbul.

No information was provided on the exact date of the summit.

Russia had already hosted a similar summit with Turkey and Iran in the Black Sea resort of Sochi in November.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russia President Vladimir Putin also discussed the Turkish offensive against YPG in their northwestern enclave of Afrin, the Turkish source said.

Erdogan also shared information on Operation Olive Branch, which was launched on January 20, to clear PYD/PKK and Daesh terrorists from Afrin, northwestern Syria.

The two leaders also agreed on accelerating the establishment of new observation points in the de-escalation zone in Idlib.

Located in northern Syria near the Turkish border, Idlib was declared a de-escalation zone, according to a cease-fire agreement reached last year in Kazakhstan’s capital Astana.

The Syrian regime, however, has repeatedly violated the deal and has targeted residential areas in opposition-held zones like Idlib.

Erdogan and Putin touched on the humanitarian situation in Eastern Ghouta, and confirmed their determination to cooperate on matters relating to Syria, the source added.

On November 22, Erdogan, Putin and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani met in Russia's Black Sea city of Sochi to discuss progress made in the Astana peace talks and changes in de-escalation zones across Syria.