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Attack on Turkish soldiers: Turkey demands NATO aid – and threatens it

It is the most serious escalation in the conflict between Turkish and Syrian troops in Syria so far: After an airstrike on Turkish soldiers, Ankara demands NATO assistance – and threatens to open the border for refugees.

The conflict between Turkey and the Syrian army has escalated. After an air raid on Turkish soldiers in Idlib province in the north of Syria, with at least 33 dead, Ankara is now demanding assistance from NATO and the international community. “We call on the whole international community to do its duty,” said President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s director of communications.

Erdogan’s ruling AKP party spokesman, Ömer Celik, said on television that NATO must stand with Turkey. At the same time, according to the state-run Anadolu news agency, he barely veiled opening the borders to the refugees in the country: “Our refugee policy is the same, but we have a situation here. We can no longer keep the refugees,” he said.

Turkey flies retaliatory attacks

Turkey blames airstrike by Syrian military for soldiers’ death. In retaliation, the Turkish army attacked Syrian government forces during the night. Altun’s statement said that Turkey is attacking “all known regime goals” in response to ground and air forces. Celik said: “The murderous regime and those who encourage it will pay the price for this wickedness in the hardest way.” Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay said Anadolu said Syrian President Bashar al-Assad would pay a high price for the airstrike. Assad would go down in history as a war criminal.

NATO speaks of “dangerous situation”

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg called on the parties to the conflict in northwest Syria to de-escalate. They would have to alleviate the “dangerous situation” and avoid further aggravation of the “terrible humanitarian situation” in the region, said Stoltenberg, according to his spokeswoman Oana Lungescu. The NATO Secretary General had previously spoken to the Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu.

The spokesman for UN Secretary General António Guterres, Stéphane Dujarric, called for an immediate ceasefire. “Without urgent action, the risk of an even greater escalation increases by the hour”. There is no military solution.

US Senator calls for no-fly zone

The influential US Senator Lindsey Graham called for a no-fly zone in Idlib in view of the escalation. Graham addressed the address to US President Donald Trump: “It is now time for the international community to set up a no-fly zone to save thousands of innocent men, women and children from a terrible death.”

A spokesman for the U.S. State Department said they stand by NATO ally Turkey and call for an immediate halt to the despicable offensive by the Assad regime, Russia and the armed forces supported by Iran. Options would be examined as to how best to help Turkey.

At least 36 injured soldiers

The 33-death airstrike is the most serious one Turkish troops have had on a day in the conflict in Syria. Provincial Governor Rahmi Dogan said 36 injured were being treated in hospitals.

In the past few days, the Turkish government had sent thousands of soldiers to Idlib to stop the Syrian government’s offensive. Turkey supports Islamist rebels in the conflict. It had reached an agreement with Russia, the Syrian government’s protecting power, to set up a de-escalation zone in Idlib and set up observation posts there.

A ceasefire actually applies. In recent weeks, however, the Syrian military has continued to advance in the area with Russian support. Hundreds of thousands are fleeing violence.

The Tagesschau reported on this topic on February 28, 2020 at 9:00 a.m.


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