Heavy weapons ‘present at rear defense lines’ in Idlib’s demilitarised zone

Armed militants were seen in the area surrounding the northern province of Idlib, where a demilitarised buffer zone is meant to have been established, footage from Tuesday shows.

According to Abdel Salam Abdel Razaq of the ‘National Front for the Liberation of Syria,’: “Defense lines remain intact, and elements [fighters] are still at their locations. Light weapons are still there, including 14.5′ and 23′ rifles [sic], and anti-tank weapons.”

He added that the implementation of the agreement is “smooth and easy and with no complications.”

Russia and Turkey reached a deal on September 17 to create a demilitarised zone in the area, in an attempt to prevent a Syrian government offensive on Idlib, a major militant-held area in the country.

Under the deal, heavy weapons were to be removed by October 10, while radical fighters were set to leave by Monday morning.

On Tuesday, the Russian President’s Spokesperson Dmitri Peskov said that according to the information received from the Russian military, the agreement is being implemented and they are satisfied with how Ankara is fulfilling its side of the deal.