Turkish President Erdogan threatens with a military operation in the Syrian region of Idlib. According to him, consultation with Russia did not lead to a breakthrough. “We come with our latest warnings.”
Earlier this month, several Turkish soldiers died in Idlib, which borders on Turkey. The Turkish forces then bombarded targets from the Syrian regime, which is engaged in an offensive in the region. This has led to a refugee flow towards the Turkish border.
Erdogan had given the Syrian regime time until the end of the month to withdraw his troops. He told parliamentarians from his AK party that Turkey is determined to create a safe zone in the border area, “regardless of the price.”
Turkey has appealed to Russia to put an end to the violence in Idlib. Moscow is a crucial ally of the regime of Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad. Erdogan says that the consultations with the Russians continue, but have not yet led to the desired result.
The Kremlin calls on Turkey not to attack Syrian government forces.
“An operation against the legitimate authorities and forces in the Syrian Republic would of course be the worst scenario,” a spokesman said Wednesday.
About the author: Rick Culpepper
Rick Culpepper is of those journalists who dig the topic to the very bottom. He is often late with the delivery of the piece, but always does it perfectly. In his spare time, he collects data for one of the most high-profile investigations of corruption in the EU.
