- Home
- World
- News
- Syrian Lawmaker Doubts Erdogan Will Launch New Offensive in Syria Amid Idlib Escalation
Syrian Lawmaker Doubts Erdogan Will Launch New Offensive In Syria Amid Idlib Escalation
Umer Jamshaid Published February 05, 2020 | 08:58 PM
Ankara is unlikely to launch any large military operation in Syria, despite threats by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, because the ongoing stand-off between Turkish forces and the Syrian military in Idlib province will all but guarantee defeat, Saji Taama, a member of the Syrian parliament, told Sputnik
GENOA (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 05th February, 2020) Ankara is unlikely to launch any large military operation in Syria, despite threats by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, because the ongoing stand-off between Turkish forces and the Syrian military in Idlib province will all but guarantee defeat, Saji Taama, a member of the Syrian parliament, told Sputnik.
Earlier on Wednesday, Erdogan threatened to launch a new military operation if Syria's Armed Forces failed to stop their offensive in the Idlib de-escalation zone and withdraw from the area close to Turkey's observation posts by the end of February. The threats come in the wake of an attack by the Syrian military on the Turkish forces in Idlib, which left six Turkish nationals, including service members and civilians, killed on Monday.
"I do not think Erdogan is going to launch any large operation because he knows the results are not in his interest and a defeat is certain," Taama said.
The lawmaker insisted that the Syrian military had a legitimate right to carry out military operations on the country's soil.
"Therefore, Erdogan's statements are not legal or ethical, and this is not the first time that Erdogan pushes his forces to fight in Syria. Since the beginning of the war against Syria, the Turkish-Jordanian role is clear in planning and supporting ISIS terrorists [Islamic State terror group, banned in Russia], and then participating in the fighting directly," Taama continued.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has stated that his country supports Turkey's military actions against the Syrian army in Idlib and views them as an acts of self-defense. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has meanwhile urged Turkey to comply with the existing agreements on Idlib and expressed his regret over Ankara's failure to dissociate the armed opposition from the terrorists there.
The Russian has military said that the Turkish forces came under attack because they had not informed it about their movements.
On Tuesday, Erdogan discussed the escalation in phone talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
In September 2018, Putin and Erdogan agreed to set up a demilitarized zone along the contact line between the armed opposition and the government forces in Idlib. Under the deal, the militants were supposed to withdraw military equipment from this area. Since then, however, Damascus has repeatedly attempted to recapture Idlib from armed groups, including Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (formerly known as Jabhat al-Nusra, a terrorist group banned in Russia).
Related Topics
Recent Stories
Currency Rate In Pakistan - Dollar, Euro, Pound, Riyal Rates On 2 June 2024
Today Gold Rate in Pakistan 02 June 2024
Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Faisal Karim Kundi visits Wagah Border
SC rules live-streaming of NAB Amendments case risks political misuse
Polio eradication from country top priority: ADC
CM Bugti gives Rs one million as compensation for Rashid Masih family
Tax collection up by 30%, inflation to decrease further: Musadik Malik
Indonesian envoy shares strategies for pluralism at ‘Jamia Dar-ul-Uloom Haqqan ..
PM congratulates first Christian female brigadier in Army Medical Corps
Blome lauds remarkable achievements of alumni, students, teachers
NEPRA determines quarterly tariff adjustment for 3rd quarter: Awais
Convict sentenced to 9 years in prison for drug peddling
More Stories From World
-
Celebrations to mark Pakistan-Denmark 75 years of diplomatic relations begin
2 hours ago -
Tennis: French Open results - collated
3 hours ago -
Bagnaia claims third consecutive home Italian MotoGP
6 hours ago -
Djokovic 3 a.m. finish sparks health fears in tennis
6 hours ago -
Swiatek races into French Open quarters as Alcaraz 'feels himself' again
6 hours ago -
French Open day 8: Who's saying what
7 hours ago
-
Businesswoman Tomasdottir elected Iceland's next president
7 hours ago -
Pakistani Medical Mission ready to handle Hajj health emergencies, assures Head
7 hours ago -
Serbia reruns local elections in capital
7 hours ago -
Djokovic says 'things could be handled differently' after 3 a.m. finish
7 hours ago -
Saudi authorities begin enforcing SAR 10,000 fine, deportation to unauthorised Hajj pilgrims
8 hours ago -
Tennis: French Open results - 1st update
8 hours ago