Friday, February 29
‘No armed groups near Turkish soldiers at time of Idlib attack’
Turkey’s Defence Minister Hulusi Akar denied Russia’s allegations that Russia was not aware of Turkish soldiers presence at the time of the attack.
The attack on Turkish troops occurred although the location of our forces was known by Russia, Akar said.
There were no armed groups near Turkish soldiers at time of the Idlib attack, Akar said. The attack continued, hitting even ambulances, despite warning shots.
Moscow earlier said Turkish troops “were in the battle formations of terrorist groups” and that according to information provided by Turkey there were no Turkish troops in the area.
Russia’s Defence Ministry was cited by the RIA news agency on Friday saying the Turkish troops had been hit by artillery fire from Syrian forces who were trying to repel an offensive by rebel forces.
It was quoted as saying Ankara failed to notify Moscow of the presence of Turkish troops in the area hit by shelling despite being in regular communication with the Russian military.
Greece says tightens sea, land borders after Idlib
Greece has tightened sea and land borders with Turkey after developments overnight in the Syrian region of Idlib, government sources said on Friday.
The Greek sources, who declined to be identified, said Athens was also in contact with the European Union and NATO on the matter.
Greece was the main gateway for hundreds of thousands of refugees streaming out of Turkey in a mass exodus in 2015 and 2016, until a deal brokered with the EU stemmed the flow.
NATO condemns regime-Russia strikes, calls meeting
NATO’s ruling council will meet Friday for urgent talks on the Syria crisis after at least 33 Turkish soldiers were killed in an air strike blamed on Damascus.
“The North Atlantic Council, which includes the ambassadors of all 29 NATO allies, will meet on Friday 28 February following a request by Turkey to hold consultations under article 4 of NATO’s founding Washington Treaty on the situation in Syria,” the alliance said in a statement.
Under Article 4, any NATO member can request talks when they believe their “territorial integrity, political independence or security” is threatened.
It is separate from the alliance’s Article 5 mutual self-defence pact, which refers to an attack on any members’ territory.
Ankara has called talks under Article 4 a number of times in recent years – twice in 2012 including after one of its jets was shot down by Syrian forces, and once in 2015 after a spate of terrorists attacks in Turkey.
After the 2012 incidents NATO agreed to deploy Patriot missile batteries in Turkey as a defensive measure.
Thursday, February 28
Calls for no-fly zone
US Senator Lindsey Graham called for the establishment of a no-fly zone over Syria’s Idlib and called on President Donald Trump to help stop the killing of civilians there by Syrian forces backed by Russia and Iran.
“The world is sitting on its hands and watching the destruction of Idlib by Assad, Iran, and the Russians,” Graham, a Republican and an ally of Trump, said in a statement. “I am confident if the world, led by the United States, pushed back against Iran, Russia, and Assad that they would stand down, paving the way for political negotiations to end this war in Syria.”
The US state department on Wednesday slammed the justification by the Syrian regime and its allies for their ongoing campaign in Idlib, denying any sort of interest on their part in fighting terrorism
Western nations demand immediate cease-fire in Syria’s Idlib
The United States and key Western allies demanded an immediate cease-fire in Idlib which is facing what the U.N. calls an “unfolding humanitarian catastrophe,” but Russia ignored their calls and said it will keep helping the government eliminate “terrorists” from Idlib.
The standoff came at a UN Security Council meeting on Syria where the UN’s deputy humanitarian chief Ursula Mueller said almost 950,000 people have fled an advancing Syrian government offensive since it began on December 1.
She described a video conversation last week with 14 Syrian women in Idlib and northern Aleppo who are humanitarian workers and said what is happening “is beyond imagination” and “not humanly tolerable.”
Turkish parties extend condolences
“I wish Allah’s mercy to martyred soldiers and extend my condolences to their families and our nation. Allah bless our soldiers,” Kemal Kilicdaroglu, the leader of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), said on Twitter.
Meral Aksener, the head of the opposition IYI (Good) Party, also turned to Twitter to extend her condolences.
“I wish Allah’s mercy to our heroes who became martyrs for the motherland,” Aksener said.
According to a statement by the opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), the party’s leader Devlet Bahceli and other senior members follow the latest developments in Idlib from the party’s headquarters.
Turkey’s Vice President Fuat Oktay said the Assad regime will pay for the attack.
“Assad, the head of a terror state and a war criminal, and Syrian regime elements will pay a heavy price for this treacherous attack,” Oktay said.
UN calls for ceasefire
Shortly after the attack, UN Secretary-General reiterated his call for an immediate cease-fire and expressed serious concern about the risk to civilians from escalating military actions,” UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said.
“Without urgent action, the risk of even greater escalation grows by the hour,” Dujarric said.
The UN Secretary General is following with “grave concern” the escalation in Idlib and reports dozens of Turkish soldiers killed by Syrian regime air strikes, UN spokesman added.
Turkey hits back at regime – Altun
In a press release following the emergency security meeting in Ankara, Turkey’s Communication Director Fahrettin Altun said Turkish air and land forces responded with suppressive fire against all known Syrian regime targets.
“All identified regime targets have been hit by our air and land forces,” the statement said.
“Today, we cannot and will not spectate as what happened in Rwanda, Bosnia and Herzegovina in the past is repeated in Idlib,” Altun said.
“With this opportunity, we call on all international community, especially the parties of the Astana Process, to fulfil their responsibilities in order to stop the crimes of the regime committed against the humanity,” he added.
Turkish Armed Forces have destroyed a total of 1,709 regime targets in operations in Idlib since February 10, 2020, security sources shared on Thursday night.
The Turkish army destroyed a total of 55 tanks, three helicopters, 18 armoured vehicles, 29 howitzers, 21 military vehicles, four Docka anti-aircraft guns, six ammunition depots, and seven mortars in the operations, said the sources speaking on condition of anonymity.
Turkey will not stop Syrian refugees reaching Europe
Shortly after the killing of the Turkish soldiers, senior officials announced Turkey will no longer close its border gates to refugees who want to go to Europe.
Turkey will no longer stop Syrian refugees from reaching Europe, a senior Turkish official said.
Erdogan attends marathon security meeting
Erdogan held a six-hour-long emergency security meeting in Ankara following the regime air strike on Turkish soldiers.
Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu also spoke to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg by telephone following the attack.
Stoltenberg urged de-escalation and condemned the “indiscrim inate” air strikes in the call with Cavusoglu.
Turkey’s Defence Minister Hulusi Akar, and airforce and army commanders are monitoring the situation from Hatay.
33 Turkish soldiers killed in Syria’s Idlib
A Syrian regime air strike killed 33 Turkish soldiers in Syria’s Idlib province, Turkish officials said.
Soldiers wounded in the attack by the Syrian regime were being treated at hospitals in Turkey, Rahmi Dogan, governor of Hayay, a province neighbouring Syria, said.
Turkey has had 54 soldiers killed in Syria’s northwestern Idlib province since the beginning of February, including the latest fatalities.
‘Media reports saying Turkey fired on Russian warplanes fake’
Russian media outlets accused the Turkish army was firing at Russian aircrafts in Idlib province.
Turkey denied the reports. Citing senior Turkish sources, state-run Anadolu Agency said it was not true that “elements of the Turkish Armed Forces fired on Russian planes in [Syria’s] Idlib,”
“It is unrealistic and the Turkish soldier never targeted to Russian troops and Russian planes,” the news agency said.
The rebuttal comes after some Russian media outlets alleged the Turkish army was firing at Russian aircrafts in Idlib province.
