Beirut (AFP)

Syrian regime forces on Friday surrounded a Turkish army observation post near Idleb province in an offensive against jihadists and rebels that heighten tensions in northwestern Iraq. Syria at war.

After nearly four months of almost daily bombing of Idleb Province and jihadist-dominated areas in neighboring areas, the Moscow-backed regime began a ground offensive on August 8th.

On Friday, the pro-regime took over several localities in the north of Hama province, including Kafr Zita and Morek, where the Turkish army observation post is located, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights ( OSDH) and the official Sana agency.

"The regime's forces have deployed in Morek (...) without attacking the observation post," the director of the OSDH, Rami Abdel Rahman, told AFP.

But he is "encircled", and for the Turkish soldiers, the only possible way out is to go through the territories held by the regime, according to him.

The prorégime are deployed only about 200 meters from the station, according to the Observatory.

- "Serious humanitarian crisis" -

Head of Turkish diplomacy Mevlut Cavusoglu confirmed that the pro-regime forces were not far from the post but said his country would not abandon it.

"The regime's forces are conducting activities around our observation post," the minister said during a trip to Lebanon. But "we do not want to leave," he added, pointing out that the issue of the post is discussed with Iran and Russia, two allies of the regime.

According to the OSDH, Syrian and Russian aircraft on Friday bombed many localities in southern Idleb province.

Border of the province of Idleb, Turkey, which supports Syrian rebel groups and intervened militarily in the conflict against the Syrian Kurds and jihadists, has been deploying forces for nearly two years on 12 observation posts in the provinces of Idleb and Hama.

Home to some 3 million people, Idleb Province and adjacent areas are dominated by the jihadists of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS, former Syrian branch of Al Qaeda). Less powerful rebel groups are also present.

Since the end of April, the regime's bombardments and artillery fire and its Russian ally against these areas have killed some 900 civilians, according to the OSDH. And more than 400,000 people have fled, according to the UN.

The developments in Syria will be at the heart of a summit on September 16 in Ankara between the presidents of Russia, Iran and Turkey, the three countries that play a leading role in the conflict.

According to the Kremlin, Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan agreed on Friday in a telephone conversation to "intensify their joint efforts" about Idleb.

Erdogan said that "the ceasefire regime's violations of Idleb and its attacks paved the way for a serious humanitarian crisis," the Turkish presidency said.

The Idleb region was supposed to be protected by an agreement on a "demilitarized zone", unveiled in September 2018 by Turkey and Russia to separate government zones from jihadist and insurgent territories.

- "Strategic infrastructures" -

But this agreement has only been partially implemented. Moscow denounces the presence of jihadists while Ankara fears to see Idleb plunge into widespread chaos, which could cause a new influx of refugees to its border.

The regime's progress in southern Idleb seems to follow the route of a Damascus-bound highway to the city of Aleppo in the north, two metropolises held by the government.

The city of Khan Cheikhoun, resumed Wednesday is on this essential path. A little further north on the highway, the Maaret al-Noomane area was the target of nighttime air raids by the regime that killed three civilians, including one child, according to the OSDH.

"Assad could continue his offensive while he has the wind in his sails, to capture more (territories) to Idleb (...) and secure strategic infrastructure," told AFP Samuel Ramani, analyst paid on the Syrian question.

With the support of Moscow, Iran and Lebanese Hezbollah, the regime has managed to recapture nearly 60% of the territory.

The high command of the Syrian army on Friday emphasized its determination to "purify" the whole country of "terrorism" in a statement read on public television.

Triggered in 2011 after the repression by the regime of pro-democracy demonstrations, the war in Syria, which became more complex with the involvement of several actors, left more than 370,000 dead.

© 2019 AFP