Turkey says all its observation posts in Syria will remain place, support to continue

ANKARA (Reuters) - All of Turkey's observation posts, formed under an agreement with Russia and Iran, will remain in place and support will continue to be provided to the posts, Turkish Presidential Spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said on Wednesday.

On Monday, a suspected Syrian army strike hit near a Turkish military convoy heading to an observation post near Idlib's Khan Sheikhoun. Damascus denounced what it said was a Turkish attempt to save routed rebels.

Speaking to reporters after a cabinet meeting, Kalin said President Tayyip Erdogan would hold phone calls with Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump in the coming days to discuss developments in Syria.

He said a schedule agreed upon with the United State for the planned safe zone in the east of the Euphrates in Syria will be gradually implemented in the coming weeks, adding that Turkish and U.S. troops will begin joint patrols in the region “soon.”