Surprise truce brokered by Turkey and Russia spares Idlib - for now
(The Guardian Turkey)

One-month pause could lead to Syrian province staying out of the hands of Assad indefinitelyRelieved locals and rebel groups in Idlib have been trying to unpick details of an eleventh-hour truce that excludes much of the northern Syrian province from a Russian-led attack for at least one month and sets up a buffer zone intended to shield 3 million civilians.The surprise initiative, brokered by Turkey and Russia on Monday, assuages fears of an immediate widespread humanitarian catastrophe and sets the scene for a swathe of northern Syria to remain out of central government control indefinitely. Related: Syria conflict: why does Idlib matter and what could happen? Related: The Guardian view on Idlib: nowhere left to go | Editorial Continue reading...