Russia:

Turkey's Support for Militants in Idlib May Lead to Conflict Escalation

Turkey's support for militants who tried to attack positions of Syrian government forces in Idlib represents a violation of the agreements between Moscow and Ankara, Russian Foreign Ministry's Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in response to a question about terrorists' attacks at positions of the Syrian government forces in Idlib.

News ID: 449205

Date: 22 February 2020 - 08:21

RNA - "On February 20, the Russian Center for reconciliation of the conflicting sides in Syria reported several mass attacks with the use of a large amount of armored vehicles at the positions of the Syrian Army in the Idlib de-escalation zone carried out by terrorist units," Zakharova stated, TASS reported.

"At the same time, the actions of militants were supported by artillery fire by the Turkish forces, which allowed terrorists to breach Syrian army's defenses," she added.

She noted that to prevent terrorists from entering the territory controlled by Syrian government forces, Russian Aerospace Forces delivered a strike at terrorists, which allowed Syrian government forces to repell the attacks.

"We express serious concern over such support for militants by Turkish forces," Zakharova said, adding, "This incident represents a violation of Russian-Turkish agreement on separating the armed opposition and terrorists and establishing a demilitarized zone, and risks to provoke further escalation of the conflict in this part of the Syrian territory."

Earlier, the Russian Defense Ministry announced its air force launched strikes to repel a militant offensive against the Syrian Army in Idlib, which had sought to breach the government forces’ defensive lines with Turkey’s backing, according to RT.

The militants launched a “massive offensive” Southeast of the city of Idlib, using many armored vehicles, the Russian Reconciliation Center in Syria said on Thursday, adding that it was Turkish artillery that helped them breach the Syrian Army’s defenses in some areas.

Aerial footage published by the Russian Defense Ministry shows a Turkish self-propelled howitzer battery shelling the Syrian Army positions.

At the request of Damascus, Russian Su-24 strike aircraft hit the advancing armed groups, helping Syrian forces to repel the offensive, destroying a tank and six infantry-fighting vehicles, among other hardware. The Turkish forces stopped the artillery barrage after Moscow contacted Ankara.

The Reconciliation Center also announced that the Turkish shelling left four Syrian soldiers injured.

Moscow also once again called on Ankara to cease its support for terrorists in Idlib, and stop handing over weapons to them.

Turkey’s Defense Ministry reported that two Turkish soldiers were killed and five others injured in the air strikes.

The incident comes amid a spike in tensions between Damascus and Ankara. Turkey has opposed the Syrian Army's advances in the battle against militants entrenched in Idlib province for quite some time.

On Wednesday, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated that Turkey would not leave Idlib to President Bashar Assad government and threatened to launch another incursion into the province. Ankara had already reinforced its outposts in the area, which is the last remaining major militant stronghold on the Syrian territory.

Back in 2018, Russia and Turkey struck a deal on Idlib, under which Ankara should have used its influence on the ground to scale back and eventually halt attacks from within the troubled province. It also should have separated the “moderate” armed groups from hardline extremists like Al Nusra — an Al-Qaeda offshoot that also held much sway in the area. This approach was taken at the time as an alternative to a full-fledged offensive by the Syrian Army. Yet, over the past years, none of the commitments Turkey undertook were effectively fulfilled.

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