Turkey has allowed its observation posts to merge with terroris bases in Idlib
Turkey has allowed its observation posts, established under a 2018 deal with Moscow, to virtually merge with terrorist bases in Idlib, Russia’s Defense Ministry said, amid a Turkish assault against advancing Syrian forces.
“The fortified areas of the terrorists have merged with the Turkish observation posts deployed under the 2018 Sochi agreement,” Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Major General Igor Konashenkov said early on Wednesday.
Europe and the United States have consistently ignored Turkey’s failure to abide by the 2018 deal, the spokesman continued, stating that neither is “interested in the actual humanitarian situation inside and around Idlib.”
Despite repeated attacks on civilians and clear links to known terrorist groups, Western media have transformed Idlib’s armed factions into so-called ‘moderates,’ the spokesman said.
“Where among these supposedly ‘opposition’ fighters in the Turkish-controlled zone was [Abu Mohammad] al-Julani – the leader of Jabhat al-Nusra, a terrorist group officially recognized by the UN – together with his nearly 20,000 cutthroats?” he asked.
Ankara’s ongoing attacks on the Syrian Army as it advances on the terrorist groups amounts to a “violation of international law,” and yet has gone utterly “unnoticed by anyone in the West,” Konashenkov said, despite the latter’s professed commitment to a ‘rules-based order.’
The remarks come amid hostilities between Turkey and Syria in Idlib, which escalated last month. Turkey sent thousands of troops across the Syrian border in an effort to push Syrian government forces out of the province.
Idlib is the last large stronghold of anti-government armed groups in Syria. Turkey was supposed to use the influence it has on some of the groups to suppress jihadists, who are determined to continue fighting, and ensure a lasting ceasefire. In practice, attacks in Idlib continued, and last year Damascus forces went on the offensive, capturing large swathes of land in the south of the province.
Damascus has long accused Turkey of foul play, saying Ankara was fueling violence against Syrian soldiers and civilians rather than curbing it.
Source: RT
