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The Assad regime shelled Syria's northwestern Idlib province on Wednesday after Russia resumed air strikes the previous day.
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has sworn to recapture every inch of Syria and has made big gains against the opposition since Russia joined his war effort in 2015.
Last week, a source close to Damascus said the government was preparing a phased offensive to recover Idlib province, but Turkey, whose army has a string of observation posts around the edge of the opposition area, has warned against such an assault.
Russian air raids ceased in and around Idlib on August 15, but pro-Syrian government forces have maintained an aerial bombardment and shelling.
Russia’s ambassador to Turkey’s Ankara Aleksey Yerhov on Wednesday said that the two countries were in communication regarding the developments in northern Syria.“We are in contact with Turkey regarding the situation in northern Syria,” Yerhov said, adding that the Syria summit to be held in Iran’s Tehran on Sept. 7 was an opportunity to reach a solution for the war-torn country.The summit held in Tehran will be attended by the leaders of Iran, Russia and Turkey. Idlib, which is the last major opposition-stronghold, will be on the agenda.UN envoy urges Erdoğan, Putin to discuss IdlibOn Tuesday, Russian warplanes bombed several areas in Idlib, raising worries of a major assault by the Assad regime forces and its allies.Located near the Turkish border, Idlib is home to more than 3 million Syrians, many of whom fled from other cities following attacks by regime forces.In May, Idlib was designated a “de-escalation zone” -- in which acts of aggression are expressly forbidden -- as part of ongoing peace talks in the Kazakh capital of Astana.UN aid chief fears worst humanitarian crisis in IdlibUS Turkish embassy voices concern over Idlib offensive
Russia says in contact with Turkey regarding northern Syria
The UN’s special envoy for Syria called on the leaders of Russia and Turkey on Tuesday to dialogue to effect a solution for Syria's Idlib."To President [Vladimir] Putin and President [Recep Tayyip] Erdoğan, you are the ones, who actually were able to talk to each other, make a telephone call, organize a formula that allow the end of that horrible peril not to be the worst," Staffan de Mistura said at a news conference at the UN Office in Geneva."[A] telephone call between two of you would make a big difference even before Tehran," he added.Talks on Syria in the Iranian capital will be held Sept. 7 with Iran, Russia and Turkey.De Mistura said the situation in Idlib should be carefully evaluated in terms of politics and the military and a sustainable solution is not impossible as an Erdoğan and Putin's one-on-one meeting would be effective.Kremlin dismisses Trump warning on Syria's Idlib'White Helmets saved 115,000 lives in Syria'"There has often been in the past occasions for finding a reasonable, logical, non-dramatic solution. That's why I am urging them [to talk]," he remarked.The priority in Idlib is to protect civilians as women, men, teachers, medical staff, engineers, according to de Mistura, as children have been trapped in the unknown. Earlier Tuesday, de Mistura held a news conference in Geneva, where he said the organization is worried about a possible operation in Idlib by the Assad regime and its supporters.Civilians in Syria's northwestern Idlib province, fearing a possible assault by the regime and its allies, are looking to Turkey to ensure the region’s safety.Residents are urging Turkey to increase the number of observation points in the area with a view to protecting civilians from an attack they believe is imminent.Located near the Turkish border, Idlib is home to more than 3 million Syrians, many of whom fled from other cities following attacks by regime forces.In May, Idlib was designated a “de-escalation zone” -- in which acts of aggression are expressly forbidden -- as part of ongoing peace talks in Kazakh capital of Astana.Russia resumes Idlib air strikes: Syrian ObservatoryTurkey, US foreign ministers discuss Syria's Idlib and ManbijTop US general warns against major assault on Syria's Idlib
UN envoy urges Erdoğan, Putin to discuss Idlib
A large-scale Syrian regime offensive in the opposition stronghold of Idlib could lead to the “worst humanitarian catastrophe in the 21st century”, the UN’s humanitarian chief warned on Tuesday.Mark Lowcock, under-secretary-general for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, has expressed alarm over the military preparations of the Bashar al-Assad regime, after his talks in Damascus last week.Galeri: Civilians killed in Russian airstrikes against Syria’s Idlib“This has the potential to be the worst humanitarian catastrophe in the world in the 21st century,” he told Anadolu Agency, and called for diplomatic efforts to avoid it.Lowcock underlined that around 4 million people living in and around Idlib, among them more than one million children, were in an extremely vulnerable situation.“Many of them have been displaced multiple times. Many of them are living under tents, they have no shelter, they are extremely vulnerable,” he stressed.Located near the Turkish border, Idlib has long been controlled by various armed opposition groups. It was designated as a “de-escalation zone” during the Astana peace talks.Lowcock recalled that in the past years, many fighters from Aleppo and Eastern Ghouta were relocated to Idlib, as part of agreements.“The Eastern Ghouta and the Aleppo situations were ultimately resolved by fighters and their families and others being relocated …and they were relocated in Idlib. But now there is nowhere else to be to go,” he said.“For the sake of those millions and millions of people, and a million children in Idlib, there needs to be a solution which does not involve enormous massacres, and there needs to be a dialogue, just as there was in the south of Syria, over the last few weeks,” he added.Lowcock called for diplomatic efforts involving regional actors to avoid a great, bloody battle for Idlib.On Tuesday, Russian warplanes bombed several areas in Idlib, raising worries of a major assault by the Assad regime forces and its allies.A trilateral summit of Turkey, Russia and Iran on Syria is scheduled for Friday, with the participation of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani.
UN aid chief fears worst humanitarian crisis in Idlib