Turkey, Russia signed secret deal on Idlib that allowed military offensive against Kurds
August 20, 2019, 10:16 am

Turkey, Russia signed secret deal on Idlib that allowed military offensive against Kurds

Ankara and Moscow signed a secret agreement allowing militia supported by Turkey to attack US-backed Kurdish fighters in Syria in exchange for Turkey abandoning Idlib, a senior opposition lawmaker in the Turkish parliament has claimed.

According to a parliamentary question, a copy of which was obtained by Nordic Monitor, Ünal Çeviköz, deputy chairperson of Turkey’s main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), Turkey and Russia signed a secret agreement allowing Turkish-backed Free Syrian Army (FSA) forces to attack areas controlled by Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) in Syria. According to Çeviköz, a former ambassador, Turkey had to agree in return to withdraw its troops and military equipment from Idlib.

On May 6, 2019 Çeviköz submitted a parliamentary question asking Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu if the claim was true. The minister declined to respond to the question, although he was obliged to provide an answer within two weeks, according to Article 98 of the Turkish Constitution.

Turkish-backed groups have simultaneously launched offensives in territory held by the YPG and seized some villages since 2018. This agreement might have forced Russia to remain silent during the attacks.

Çeviköz also accused the Turkish government of interfering in Syria’s domestic politics and sought information on a possible date for direct contact with Syria, security measures preventing terrorist groups from entering Turkey if they are forced to leave Idlib and the reason behind accepting the very difficult task of ensuring the separation of radical groups from moderate opposition groups in line with the Astana/Sochi process to resolve the Syrian conflict.

Since Turkey considers Kurdish forces terrorist groups and a threat to its national security, it has long threatened to unilaterally attack the YPG, which controls large swaths of northern Syria. To this end the Turkish government focused on gaining support from international actors in Syria for its military interventions. The US indecisiveness in Syria has pushed Ankara closer to Moscow. It appears that Turkey wanted to strike a deal on the Kurds with Russia, which could then cause the US to change its mind.

Çeviköz is believed to have picked up on the secret deal from his extensive contacts in the Foreign Ministry, where he had served for years and is well respected among members of Turkey’s foreign service.

A joint statement by the Turkish Defense Ministry and the US Embassy in Ankara on August 7, 2019 suggests that the US has been trying to counter the Russian deal. According to the statement Turkey and the US have agreed to establish a joint operations center in order to coordinate and manage the setting up of a safe zone in northern Syria. The US-Turkey agreement makes no mention of the size of the border zone nor the YPG presence in the area but acknowledges the Turkish government’s intent to return Syrian refugees to their homeland.

The latest Human Rights Watch (HRW) report revealed that Turkish authorities detained hundreds of Syrians and then deported them to Idlib and the northern Aleppo Governorate through the Cilvegözü/Bab al-Hawa border crossing. A new safe zone in northern Syria would provide Turkey an important opportunity to increase the forcible return of Syrians.

It is also possible that when Turkey withdraws from Idlib in line with the secret agreement, it could resettle radical groups who are forced to leave Idlib among Syrian refugees in the safe zone.

Idlib is the only large region in Syria that is still controlled by illegal armed groups. In May 2017 Russia, Turkey and Iran, the three partners of the Sochi process, agreed to establish de-escalation zones in Deraa, Eastern Ghouta, Homs and Idlib. Turkey did not volunteer to assume any responsibility in the first three de-escalation zones but was interested in Idlib. In the same year, a northern de-escalation zone was set up in Idlib to give shelter to militants and their families.

When the Syrian government prepared to launch an Idlib offensive, the Russian and Turkish presidents met in Sochi, on September 17, 2018, and their talks resulted in an agreement to establish a demilitarized zone in Idlib, which was to be 15-20 kilometers deep. Under that deal, Turkey deployed forces in Idlib at a dozen positions around the rebel-controlled northwestern province, where it has set up observation posts to prevent an escalation between Syrian government forces and rebels.

However, Turkey was accused of being too soft on and supporting Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the latest incarnation of the al-Nusra Front, which was al-Qaeda’s official affiliate in Syria. It was Turkey’s responsibility to prevent those groups from conducting attacks on Syrian soil. In the months since the agreement was signed, Idlib has been taken over by the militants of HTS, and it has become one of the strongest militant groups in northern Syria. Today, HTS largely controls Idlib province, including the provincial capital and the border crossing with Turkey at Bab

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).

Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.