Idlib demilitarization (2018–2019)

Idlib demilitarization (2018–2019)
Part of the Turkish military operation in Idlib Governorate and the Russian intervention in the Syrian civil war
The situation in the province of Idlib as of 17 September 2018. Locations of Turkish outposts are pictured.   Syrian Army control   Tahrir al-Sham and allies control   National Front for Liberation and allies control   Turkish-backed Free Syrian Army control
Date 17 September 2018 – 30 April 2019 (7 months, 1 week and 6 days) 31 August – 19 December 2019 (3 months, 2 weeks and 5 days) Location Northwestern Syria Northeastern Latakia Governorate Northwestern Hama Governorate Southern Idlib Governorate Western Aleppo Governorate Result Failed[a]
Belligerents
Syrian Arab Republic Russia Iran Liwa al-Quds Hezbollah Arab Nationalist Guard SSNP Ba'ath Brigades	Syrian Interim Government Syrian National Army National Front for Liberation Turkey Jaysh al-Izza Syrian Salvation Government Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham Turkistan Islamic Party Ajnad al-Kavkaz Rouse the Believers Operations Room Katibat al-Ghuraba al-Turkistan Junud al-Sham Caucasus Emirate Tarkhan's Jamaat Jama'at Ansar al-Furqan in Bilad al Sham Abu Amara Special Task Battalion
Commanders and leaders
Vladimir Putin (President of Russia) Gen. Mohammad Khaddour Maj. Gen. Suheil al-Hassan	Recep Tayyip Erdogan (President of Turkey) Mohammad Safwan al Saleh  † Col. Mustafa Bakour Abu Mohammad al-Julani (HTS general commander) Abu Maria al-Qahtani Abu al-Fath al-Ferghali Abu Yaqdhan al-Masri Asaad al-Shaibani
Units involved
Syrian Armed Forces 3rd Armoured Division Qalamoun Shield Forces Republican Guard 124th Brigade 4th Armoured Division 18th Armoured Division 131st Armored Brigade Tiger Forces Air Force Intelligence Directorate National Defence Forces Syrian Air Force SSNP Eagles of the Whirlwind Russian Armed Forces and affiliated paramilitaries Aerospace Forces Wagner Group IRGC Quds Force	National Front for Liberation Syrian Liberation Front Ahrar al-Sham Nour al-Din al-Zenki Movement Sheikh Fadel al-Akel Katibat al-Bayia Lillah Katibat Usud al-Tawheed Liwa al-Adiyat Martyr Abu Omar Battalion Jaysh al-Ahrar Suqour al-Sham Brigades Sham Legion Free Idlib Army Army of Victory Elite Army 1st Coastal Division 23rd Division Islamic Freedom Brigade 2nd Coastal Division 1st Infantry Division Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham Jaish al-Muhajireen wal-Ansar Imam Bukhari Jamaat Jaysh al-Usra Movement of Mujahideen of the Sunnis of Iran Army of Umar Ibn Khattab Army of Abu Bakr as-Sadiq Army of Uthman ibn Affan Rouse the Believers Operations Room Alliance to Support Islam Guardians of Religion Organization Ansar al-Tawhid Ansar al-Din Front - Harakat Fajr ash-Sham al-Islamiya Ansar al-Islam
Casualties and losses
238 killed (as of 29 April 2019) 2 killed	155 rebels killed (gov.-rebel conflict; as of 29 April 2019) 130 rebels killed (HTS-NLF conflict) 1 killed
372 civilians killed (as of 29 April 2019) 80,000 people displaced
a Buffer zone never fully implemented, interrupted by intermittent shelling and ground offensives. Zone considered to be inactive by Turkey, which Russia says did not abide by the agreement, while Russia considers Turkey to have failed to separate moderate rebels from hardline jihadists.

The Idlib demilitarization was an agreement between Turkey and Russia to create a demilitarized zone (DMZ) in Syria's rebel-held Idlib Governorate, to be patrolled by military forces from Russia and Turkey. On 17 September 2018, the Russian president Vladimir Putin and Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, reached an agreement to create a buffer zone in Idlib.