Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned of a looming “catastrophe” as Syrian troops prepare for the last major battle of a seven-year civil war and the Damascus regime’s backer Iran insisted the fight against terrorism will continue until the end.
Erdogan, speaking at a summit on Friday in Tehran between Turkey, Iran and Russia, urged the other leaders to support his call for an immediate cease-fire in the northwestern province of Idlib. Russian President Vladimir Putin refused the request, saying the three countries can’t dictate to the government or rebels.
“Any assault, whatever the reason for it, will inevitably lead to a catastrophe, killings and a major human tragedy,” Erdogan said before the glare of TV cameras. “We never want to see Idlib to turn into a lake of blood. We have to find a rational way out in Idlib that could meet our security concerns.” He warned that millions of refugees would reach Turkey if a major attack took place.
The three-way summit comes at a critical juncture in Syria’s deadly conflict. Russia’s military intervention three years ago turned the tide in President Bashar al-Assad’s favor at a time when he held less than a quarter of his country’s territory. Now, major patrons Moscow and Iran are looking to consolidate gains as the battle in Idlib approaches.
Bombing Begun
U.S. President Donald Trump warned Assad this week against committing a “slaughter” in the northwest province. Russian warplanes are already bombing Idlib, and Syrian troops have shelled it.
Almost 3 million civilians live there, and the prospects for a humanitarian catastrophe are high if the government doesn’t allow an escape route. The United Nations estimates there are 10,000 fighters in the region with links to al Qaeda.
An estimated half a million people have died in the Syrian conflict since March 2011 and 12 million more have fled their homes to seek refuge inside the country or abroad.
Under a plan that will be proposed by Ankara, foreign militants will be disarmed and sent back to their home countries, Turkey’s pro-government Sabah newspaper reported Friday. The plan is aimed at avoiding a major attack on the militants in return for giving them a chance to leave the area if they handover their weapons to the Free Syrian Army, the main non-Islamist rebel group. If the militants resist the plan, they may come under pinpoint attacks, according to the plan.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani insisted there can be no compromise. “It is necessary for the fight to continue until all terrorist groups in Syria especially in Idlib are eradicated,” he said.
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