Why Idlib Matters and the Obstacles Assad Faces There – Reuters Backgrounder
The Syrian conflict has turned toward the northwestern Idlib region, where government preparations for a Russian-backed offensive have sparked a concerted Turkish diplomatic bid to prevent an attack.
A major assault in Idlib, home to some three million people, could be more deadly and destructive than any other in a war that has killed hundreds of thousands of people since 2011. The U.N. is warning of a humanitarian catastrophe.
It could also prove the most challenging campaign yet for Assad: Turkey has forces on the ground in Idlib, where the rebels are heavily armed and include highly motivated jihadists…