'Turkey to keep up retaliation on Syrian regime'

ANKARA

In the wake of another deadly attack on Turkish troops in northwestern Syria, Turkey’s retaliation against Assad regime targets will continue in force, the country’s ruling party spokesman said on Monday.

“Turkey will keep doing what it has to until the Assad regime withdraws behind the violated line in Idlib, Syria,” Omer Celik told reporters in Ankara, Turkey’s capital, referring to Idlib, across Turkey’s southern border, an area of Syria which is supposed to be governed by a cease-fire.

At least five Turkish troops were martyred and five others injured in an attack by Assad regime forces in Idlib on Monday.

This followed last week’s attack by regime forces in Idlib which martyred seven Turkish soldiers and one civilian contractor working with the Turkish military, and injured more than a dozen people. In retaliation, Turkey struck over 50 targets and killed 76 Syrian soldiers.

Celik added that NATO by definition should stand in solidarity and that Turkey would like to hear how those who constantly mention Turkey’s importance will take a stand.

The Turkish troops are in Idlib as part of an anti-terror and peace mission.

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.