Erdogan Says Turkey may Launch Syria Offensive if Idlib Attacks Continue

• 01.31.2020, 15:08
•  Near East,  World

EPA / UPG

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned Friday that Ankara may start a military operation in Idlib if the situation in that troubled region was not immediately resolved, al Masdar News reports.

Speaking in Ankara, Erdogan warned that Turkey would be unable to deal with an influx of Syrian refugees who may try to flee to southern Turkey amid the Syrian Army’s ongoing campaign against terrorist militias in Idlib.

“If [the situation] in Idlib does not return to normal, we will proceed with action. We sincerely want stability in Syria. The political process must be implemented quickly and fairly. We will not shy away from doing whatever it takes to achieve this, including using military force,” Erdogan said.

According to the Turkish president, the situation in Syria was “as important” to Ankara as the situation inside Turkey’s own borders. Erdogan also accused “those who support the Syrian regime” of being “committed to continuing the crisis in Syria.”

Two days earlier, Erdogan accused Russia of violating agreements aimed at preserving a status quo ceasefire in the region.