Turkey will respond heavily if its observation posts in northwestern Syria’s Idlib province are targeted, said the nation’s president on Wednesday.
“WE ARE CLOSELY MONITORING DEPLOYEMENT OF ASSAD REGIME”
“Turkey will do more than mere retaliation if its observation posts in Idlib are targeted,” Recep Tayyip Erdogan told ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party deputies meeting in the capital Ankara.
Erdogan said last week’s cease-fire in Idlib was achieved following Turkey’s military campaign there, giving Idlib residents the opportunity to live free of threats, adding that Turkey is closely watching developments on the ground.
“We are closely monitoring the deployment of the Assad regime and allied militants near the cease-fire lines,” he said, stressing that Turkey will abide by the cease-fire deal so long as the Assad regime and its allies do the same.
Joint Turkish-Russian patrols will also begin on March 15 along the highway from the settlement of Trumba – 2 km (1.2 miles) to the west of Saraqib – to the settlement of Ain al-Havr, under the deal.