Opposition activists and a war monitor reported a complete absence of Russian and Syrian government warplanes in the skies of Idlib and a relative calm in the area Friday morning, following a cease-fire deal brokered by Turkey and Russia that halted a terrifying campaign of bombing from above.
Although warplanes no longer flew sorties overhead, the activists said there was minor shelling in some areas after the truce went into effect at midnight Thursday.
Russia and Turkey back rival sides in the Syrian conflict, and have become the main power brokers in the war-torn country.