Turkey should not retreat from Idlib, says lawmaker

ANKARA

The leader of Turkey's Grand Unity Party said Tuesday that Ankara should keep a firm footing in Syria's restive province of Idlib where 12 Turkish soldiers were martyred in attacks by the Bashar al-Assad regime forces.

Turkey should respond to these attacks by strengthening its military presence in Idlib, Mustafa Destici told reporters in the parliament.

"Turkey should not backtrack even a step from Idlib," he said.

His remarks came as the Assad regime this month launched brazen attacks on Turkish military posts, heightening tensions in the region.

The Turkish troops are in Idlib -- a cease-fire zone, under a deal between Turkey and Russia -- as part of an anti-terror and peace mission.

Destici called on the government to cancel scheduled meetings with the Russian delegation over the recent development in Idlib. Moscow is a close ally of the Assad regime.

"The meetings should be suspended and our army should do what is necessary," he said.

Idlib has been a stronghold of the 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 have been killed in attacks by regime and Russian forces since then, flouting both the 2018 cease-fire and a new one that started on Jan. 12.