Erdogan threatens to attack
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has threatened to launch an ‘‘imminent’’ counter-offensive against advancing Syrian forces in Syria’s Idlib province, raising the prospect that weeks of tension between Ankara and Bashar al-assad’s regime could escalate into all-out military conflict.
Erdogan issued the warning yesterday, ahead of his February 28 deadline for Syrian forces to pull back from several Turkish military positions in Syria and after the breakdown of talks with Russia to de-escalate the situation.
‘‘An operation in Idlib is imminent,’’ he said. ‘‘We are counting down, we are making our final warnings.’’
The Kremlin appeared rattled by the threat, and urged Turkey not to move ahead with an attack on its Syrian allies, saying a direct conflict would be ‘‘the worst-case scenario’’.
A Turkish offensive would likely blunt the momentum of Assad’s forces, who have pushed rapidly into rebel-held portions of Idlib and neighbouring Aleppo province in recent weeks. But it could also add to the already chaotic situation in Idlib, where Assad’s troops, backed by Russian air power and Shia militia fighters, are battling rebels led by an Islamist militant group linked to al Qaeda.
Ankara has been infuriated by the deaths of 13 Turkish soldiers at the hands of Syrian forces in the last month.
Assad’s forces have been warned that they have until the end of the month to withdraw from several Turkish military outposts inside Idlib or face retaliation. So far, there is no sign that Assad is prepared to pull his troops back.
Erdogan is also eager to try to avert a fresh refugee crisis. The country is already hosting 3.6 million Syrian refugees, and he is under domestic political pressure to reduce that number and not take more in.
Hundreds of thousands of people fleeing the Syrian offensive are being squeezed into ever-smaller areas near Turkey’s border ‘‘under horrendous conditions’’ in freezing temperatures that are killing babies and young children, the United Nations’ humanitarian chief said yesterday.
Mark Lowcock told the UN Security Council that ‘‘the unfolding humanitarian catastrophe’’ in northwest Idlib province had ‘‘overwhelmed’’ efforts to provide aid.
He said nearly 900,000 people, more than 500,000 of them children, had been displaced since December 1, when the offensive began.
‘‘Many are on foot or on the backs of trucks in below-freezing temperatures, in the rain and snow. They are moving into increasingly crowded areas they think will be safer. But in Idlib, nowhere is safe.’’
Lowock said almost 50,000 people have taken shelter under trees and in open spaces. ‘‘I am getting daily reports of babies and other young children dying in the cold.’’
UN special envoy Geir Pedersen echoed Secretary-general Antonio Guterres’ earlier expressions of alarm at the rapid deterioration of the humanitarian situation ‘‘and the tragic suffering of civilians.’’
‘‘Hostilities are now approaching densely populated areas such as Idlib city and Bab al-hawa border crossing, which has among the highest concentration of displaced civilians in northwest Syria and also serves as a humanitarian lifeline,’’ he said.
– Telegraph Group, AP
‘‘We are counting down, we are making our final warnings.’’ Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan