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Turkey is on full alert in the Eastern Mediterranean with the launch of Russian military drills and U.S. destroyers equipped with Tomahawk missiles turning toward the region as an offensive in Syria’s last opposition-held stronghold of Idlib looms.
The Russian defense ministry said that more than 25 warships and support vessels and around 30 planes, including fighter jets and strategic bombers, would take part in the Mediterranean drills which it said would last from Sept. 1 to Sept. 8.
Upon these developments, Turkey, which previously had 10 warships in the region, dispatched several more naval vessels to the region, the exact number of which is unknown.
Turkey has numerously expressed its objections to an Idlib offensive, saying it would lead to disaster, and is taking every precaution to protect its rights and interests in international waters.
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Friday said the United States views the Syrian regime military assault on opposition-held Idlib as an escalation of the Syrian conflict, as the State Department warned that Washington would respond to any chemical attack by Damascus.The Syrian province of Idlib and surrounding areas are the last major enclave held by those who oppose Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, a close Russian ally. A source has told Reuters Assad is preparing a phased offensive to regain the province."The U.S sees this as an escalation of an already dangerous conflict," Pompeo said in a post on Twitter in which he also blasted Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov for "defending (the) Syrian and Russian assault."'Turkey essential to preventing bloodbath in Syria’s Idlib’Lavrov said on Friday the Syrian government had every attack Idlib and that talks continued on establishing humanitarian corridors there.The State Department said the new U.S. special representative for Syria, James Jeffrey, would travel to Israel, Jordan, and Turkey from Saturday to Tuesday on his first official trip abroad.Jeffrey and his delegation will "underscore that the United States will respond to any chemical weapons attack perpetrated by the Syrian regime," the State Department said in a statement.Turkey to take concrete steps to protect Syria’s IdlibThey will also "address Russia’s specious allegations of international plans to stage a chemical weapons attack in Syria," the statement said.The United Nations on Thursday called on Russia, Iran and Turkey to forestall a battle in Idlib which would affect millions of civilians and could see both militants and the government potentially using chlorine as a chemical weapon.Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moualem, speaking after talks with Lavrov in Moscow on Thursday, said government forces will "go all the way" in the opposition-held northern region of Idlib, but that they did not have and would not use chemical weapons. Turkey working to prevent 'disaster' in Syria: Erdoğan
US sees assault on Idlib as escalation of Syria conflict: Pompeo
A major Syrian military offensive in the northern province of Idlib would spark a “humanitarian catastrophe”, Germany warned on Friday.“The federal government is very worried about the escalation of the situation in northwestern Syria,” the government’s deputy spokeswoman told a news conference in Berlin.“A large-scale military operation of the Syrian regime in and around Idlib would spark another humanitarian catastrophe with potentially hundreds of thousands of people seeking shelter near Turkey’s border,” Ulrike Demmer said.Russia's Putin to meet Erdoğan, Rouhani on Sept. 7She recalled that Chancellor Angela Merkel had discussed these developments with Russian President Vladimir Putin two weeks ago.“We expect from Russia to use its influence on the Syrian regime to prevent an escalation and a humanitarian catastrophe,” she stressed.Demmer also underlined that an unhindered humanitarian access to Idlib should be ensured.'Turkey essential to preventing bloodbath in Syria’s Idlib’On Monday, Merkel spoke to U.S. President Donald Trump over the phone to discuss the situation in Syria, amid reports that the regime in Damascus was preparing for a major military offensive against the province controlled by the opposition forces.Idlib falls within a network of de-escalation zones -- endorsed by Turkey, Russia and Iran -- in which acts of aggression are expressly prohibited.Turkey to take concrete steps to protect Syria’s IdlibTurkey working to prevent 'disaster' in Syria: Erdoğan
Germany warns of ‘catastrophe’ in Syria’s Idlib
As Syrian President Bashar al-Assad prepares for an offensive against the last opposition-held stronghold of Idlib, Turkey holds a major responsibility in preventing bloodshed and is seen as a critical player that could ensure peace in the region.Speaking to Yeni Şafak daily, Idlib Provincial Assembly President Ghassan Hamo evaluated the recent situation in Syria and stressed that the only bloodless solution in Syria’s Idlib, where more than 4 million civilians live, was to implement Turkey’s formula.He also stressed that every initiative undertaken without Turkey may trigger fresh disasters in the region.“In such a case, everybody loses; Turkey is the only key for peace and stability in Idlib,” Hamo added.Idlib, located in northwestern Syria on the Turkish border, has faced intense attacks by the Bashar al-Assad regime after a vicious civil war broke out in 2011. Since March 2015, Idlib is no longer under the control of the Assad regime and has been overrun by opposition groups.In recent weeks, the Assad regime has dropped leaflets over Idlib province urging people to surrender, opened a route for civilians to cross into government territory and, according to a war monitor, sent ever more reinforcements to the front. It has stepped up air strikes and shelling near the front lines, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.Turkey to take concrete steps to protect Syria’s Idlib“Idlib locals won’t accept any solution without Turkey”“It is obvious what the Assad regime and Russia are doing in Aleppo, Ghouta, Homs and Daraa. We all know what they did to those civilians and armed fighters. We don’t trust Russia, Iran and the Assad regime in any way. Civilians in Idlib will not accept any solution that does not include Turkey,” Hamo said.Stressing Assad’s vicious chemical attacks in Syria, he stated, “The Assad regime carried out chemical attacks on Idlib’s Khan Sheikhoun province. It used chemical weapons twice in Ghouta and Douma. Independent international organizations reported more than 70 chemical attacks carried out by the regime. We have been informed that they have dispatched canisters in the Hama-Morek region.”The United Nations called on Russia, Iran and Turkey on Thursday to forestall a battle in Idlib which would affect millions of civilians and could see both terrorists and the government potentially using chlorine as a chemical weapon.Turkey working to prevent 'disaster' in Syria: ErdoğanSmear campaign against FSA seeks to eliminate it“Bashar Assad’s Foreign Minister Walid al-Moualem visited Syria’s Lattakia last week. He said that their goal after Idlib is Turkey’s Hatay. More than 3,000 Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) terrorists deployed in the Hama region are waiting for a command to attack Idlib. Their aim is to siege Afrin and rejoin the Jarablus-Afrin line” he said.Turkey launched Operation Olive Branch on Jan. 20, 2018 in Syria’s northwestern region of Afrin to eradicate the area of terrorists belonging to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK)’s Syrian offshoot, the Democratic Union Party (PYD), following Turkey’s seven-month Euphrates Shield Operation which succeeded in clearing large swathes of Syrian territory from Daesh.Additionally, during a meeting with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov in Moscow on Thursday, al-Moualem said that government forces will “go all the way” in Idlib.“The Idlib issue does not pertain to Idlib alone. The main aim of the smear campaign conducted through the discourse of terror is to eliminate the Free Syrian Army entirely. However, the FSA is the backbone of Idlib.”“Turkish troops remain ‘heroes’, and Erdoğan remains to be ‘the hope of the oppressed’ in the hearts of the Syrians,” he concluded.Turkish forces are present at 12 points from Idlib's north to south, which are currently being fortified with cement walls and bulletproof watch towers against a regime attack.Syria has been locked in a vicious civil war since early 2011 when the Assad regime cracked down on pro-democracy protests with unexpected ferocity.
'Turkey essential to preventing bloodbath in Syria’s Idlib’
U.S. aggression against Syria
Anatoly Antonov, Russia's ambassador to the United States, warned Washington on Thursday against what he called "groundless and illegal aggression against Syria." Antonov said he had told U.S. officials Moscow was concerned by signs that the United States was preparing new strikes on Syria.
Warships at the ready
The U.S. and NATO allies such as the U.K. and France are keeping their navy ships in the Mediterranean on full alert. The Russian Defense Ministry said U.S. destroyers Karni and Ross will be ready to strike Syria within 24 hours.
On Saturday, U.S. navy ship USNS Carson City T-EPF-7 reached the Mediterranean from the Dardanelles Strait.
The U.S. had previously struck Syria by having warships deployed in the Mediterranean, Red Sea and the Basra Gulf fire missiles at Syrian regime targets.
Though not directly linked to the developments in Idlib, Turkey’s ramped-up presence in the Mediterranean aims to prevent a fait accompli in Turkish waters with regards to issues of security and energy.
Countries such as Russia, the U.S., U.K., France, Germany, Israel, Egypt, Greece and Italy all maintain a navy presence in the Mediterranean.
The United Nations has called on Russia, Iran and Turkey to delay a battle that could affect millions of civilians.
Russia and Turkey, along with Iran are sponsoring the Astana peace talks, which focuses on a cease-fire and ending the seven-year civil war in Syria.
Syria’s civil war has cost an estimated 400,000 lives, displaced more than 11 million people and led to a severe shortage of food, clean water and healthcare.