A Syrian rebel-fighter from the National Liberation Front (NLF) gather on the frontline with regime forces inside the demilitarised zone, in the south east of Idlib province on October 9, 2018. Jihadist factions including Syria's former Al-Qaeda branch have withdrawn heavy weapons from parts of a planned buffer zone in Idlib province, a monitor said on October 9, two days ahead of a deadline. The U-shaped buffer, agreed by regime ally Russia and rebel-backer Turkey, will separate opposition and government forces and is meant to be free of both heavy weapons and jihadists by October 15.
{}