Top US diplomat stands by Turkey over deadly attack

WASHINGTON

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo offered his condolences to Turkey following a deadly Syrian regime attack on Turkish forces in northwestern Syria's Idlib province.

"My condolences to the families of the soldiers killed in yesterday's attack in Idlib," Pompeo said on Twitter. "The ongoing assaults by the Assad regime and Russia must stop. I've sent Jim Jeffrey to Ankara to coordinate steps to respond to this destabilizing attack. We stand by our NATO Ally #Turkey."

U.S. President Donald Trump's special envoy for the Syrian conflict, left Washington on Monday for Ankara where he is slated to meet with senior Turkish officials. The State Department said Jeffrey would "discuss issues of mutual concern, including the Assad regime’s Russian-backed military offensive in Idlib."

The agency did not give a timeline for his stay in Turkey, but said he would travel to Germany for a Feb. 13 security conference.

Five Turkish troops were martyred Monday, and five others were wounded in a Syrian regime attack.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Syrian regime forces were "dealt a resounding blow" in response.

"They have been seriously punished, especially in Idlib, but this is not enough, there is more to come," he warned.

Turkey's Defense Ministry said 115 targets were hit and 101 military personnel neutralized.

Idlib has been a stronghold of opposition and anti-government armed groups since the outbreak of the Syrian civil war in 2011.

In September 2018, Turkey and Russia agreed to turn Idlib into a de-escalation zone in which acts of aggression are expressly prohibited.

But more than 1,800 civilians there have been killed in attacks by regime and Russian forces since, flouting a 2018 cease-fire and a new one that took effect Jan. 12.

More than 1.5 million Syrians have moved toward the Turkish border due to intense attacks in the past year.

Turkey remains the country that hosts the most refugees in the world with more than 3.7 million migrants since the start of the Syrian civil war.