U.S. Joint Chiefs Chairman General Joseph Dunford
The top U.S. military officer warned on Tuesday that a major Syrian military assault on the opposition-held enclave of Idlib would lead to a "humanitarian catastrophe" and instead recommended more narrowly tailored operations.
The northern province and surrounding areas are the last major swathe of territory held by the opposition fighting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who has been backed by both Russian and Iranian forces in Syria's seven-year-old civil war.
They are also home to some 3 million civilians.
Marine General Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said there was no doubt about the risks to civilians given Idlib's terrain and difficult operating environment.
Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar on Tuesday received U.S. Special Envoy to Syria, James Jeffrey, in the capital Ankara.In a closed-door meeting, Akar expressed Turkey's discomfort at the YPG/PKK presence in Syria and said that the terror group must leave the region.He also conveyed Turkey’s intention to continue protecting its security and regional interests in accordance with international law, as well as the need to completely rid the region from the terrorist organization.In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the EU -- has been responsible for the deaths of some 40,000 people.Video: Turkish Defense Minister receives US Special Representative for SyriaThe request came as Turkish and U.S. forces are carrying out joint patrols in the northwestern Syrian city of Manbij as part of a roadmap to clear the area of the YPG.Turkey has carried out two-cross border operations against the YPG in Syria.In a move long sought by Turkey, the NATO allies agreed in June to implement a roadmap for the northern Syrian city of Manbij, where Ankara had threatened to push its ground offensive despite the U.S. troops stationed there.UN sees 'moment of truth' for Syria political processKremlin dismisses Trump warning on Syria's IdlibRussia resumes Idlib air strikes: Syrian ObservatoryPossible war between Israel, Iran loomsYPG/PKK terror group suffers heavy losses in August
Turkey tells US that YPG/PKK must leave Syria
"We don't see any way that significant military operations are going to be beneficial to the people of Syria," Dunford told reporters during a trip to Athens.
"If major military operations take place we can expect humanitarian catastrophe and I think we would all want to see that be avoided," Marine General Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters during a trip to Athens.
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.
Iran has called for the opposition to be "cleaned out" of Idlib.
Talks between major powers this month on setting up a committee to lead constitutional reform in Syria will be a "moment of truth" for a credible political process, U.N. envoy Staffan de Mistura told reporters on Tuesday.De Mistura will hold separate sets of talks next week, one involving Russia, Turkey and Iran, and the other including the United States and Saudi Arabia, to discuss the makeup of the committee.He said it must not be allowed to become a "long, winding process about the process" but could be the entry point into Syrian government reforms leading to elections after the war. Kremlin dismisses Trump warning on Syria's Idlib'White Helmets saved 115,000 lives in Syria'Trump warns Assad against ‘recklessly attacking’ Idlib
UN sees 'moment of truth' for Syria political process
Dunford said it was still unclear to him how large of an operation was being planned by the Russian-backed Syrian forces to clear the opposition out of the enclave.
"I'm suggesting that counter-terrorism operations should take place in a manner that mitigates the risk of the loss of innocent life," he said.
The Kremlin dismissed U.S. President Donald Trump's warning to Syria not to launch an offensive in the opposition-held enclave of Idlib, saying on Tuesday that the area was a "nest of terrorism".Trump on Monday warned Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his allies Iran and Russia not to "recklessly attack" the northwestern Syrian province, saying hundreds of thousands of people could be killed."Just to speak out with some warnings, without taking into account the very dangerous, negative potential for the whole situation in Syria, is probably not a full, comprehensive approach," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.The presence of the opposition in Idlib was undermining the Syrian peace process and making the region a base for attacks on Russian forces in Syria, Peskov added.Trump warns Assad against ‘recklessly attacking’ Idlib"A fairly large group has settled there and of course this leads to a general destabilisation of the situation. It undermines attempts to bring the situation onto the track of a political-diplomatic settlement," he said."We know that Syria's armed forces are preparing to resolve this problem," he added.Russia resumed air strikes in Idlib province on Tuesday after a hiatus of several weeks, according to a Syrian opposition member and a war monitor.A source has told Reuters that Assad is preparing a phased offensive to regain the province.The situation around Idlib will be one of the main items on the agenda when the leaders of Russia, Iran and Turkey meet in Tehran this week, Peskov told reporters on a conference call, declining to elaborate further. UN sees 'moment of truth' for Syria political processAssad sought peace with Israel in 2010: Kerry memoir
Kremlin dismisses Trump warning on Syria's Idlib
Pressed about the best course, Dunford said: "More of a discussion between the Turks, the Syrians and the Russians at more precise counterterrorism operations -- as opposed to large scale conventional operations -- would be the right approach."
Dunford's remarks followed a warning on Monday by U.S. President Donald Trump that hundreds of thousands of civilians could be killed by if Syrian and Russian forces "recklessly attack" Idlib.
Nikki Haley, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, wrote on Twitter late on Monday: "All eyes on the actions of Assad, Russia, and Iran in Idlib. #NoChemicalWeapons."
A Syrian opposition member and a war monitor said Russian air strikes had resumed in Syria's northwestern Idlib province on Tuesday after several weeks.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 area, has warned against such an assault.Possible war between Israel, Iran loomsRussian air raids ceased in and around Idlib on August 15, but pro-Syrian government forces have maintained an aerial bombardment and shelling against the opposition there, the war monitor, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said.The opposition source and the Observatory both said the air strikes were in the countryside near Jisr al-Shughour on the western edge of the northwestern territory.Russian, Turkish and Iranian leaders are due to meet on Sept. 7 in Iran and are expected to discuss the situation in northwestern Syria.Germany urges prevention of disaster in Syria’s IdlibTrump warns Assad against ‘recklessly attacking’ IdlibTurkey deploys more military vehicles to Syrian borderFrance 'concerned' over the situation in Idlib
Russia resumes Idlib air strikes: Syrian Observatory
Clashes between Israeli and Iranian forces in Syria could lead to a new conflict, Richard C. Baffa, a senior international/defense researcher at the RAND Corporation and Nathan Vest, a research assistant and Middle East specialist also at RAND Corporation warned.Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman on Monday hinted that Israel could strike Iranian targets outside Syria. The Israeli Broadcasting Authority quoted Lieberman as saying: “We aren’t limiting ourselves to Syrian territory. That should be clear. We will fight against all of Iran’s threats, regardless of where it comes from.”Signs of warIsraeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has previously emphasized that Tel Aviv was against any Iranian presence in Syria. Tehran’s goal to build a lasting military presence in the country has been rejected time and time again by Tel Aviv, which has gone so far as to launch attacks to deter Iran, although these have proven fruitless.Trump warns Assad against ‘recklessly attacking’ Idlib“Past Israeli conflicts, such as the 2006 Hezbollah War, reveal common signposts on Israel's 'road to war,' in which a series of provocations prompted large-scale Israeli operations. Today, Israel's threat perception is much higher, as Tehran seems intent on pressing its perceived advantage in Syria and bolstering Lebanese Hezbollah’s (LH) precision strike capability with advanced weapons and an indigenous production capability,” Baffa and Vest wrote in an article published in late August.Iran and Hezbollah are strong allies of Syria’s Bashar al-Assad regime, the forces of which have been fighting opposition groups in a deadly civil war since 2011.Since then, hundreds of thousands of people are believed to have been killed and millions more displaced by the conflict.Turkey deploys more military vehicles to Syrian borderNew conflict would be more destructive than previous clashes“A new war between Israel and LH that directly involves Iranian forces would potentially be far larger in scope and more destructive than the 2006 [Hezbollah] conflict. LH has a more-capable military, battle-hardened from years in Syria, and a rocket and missile force that can strike deep into Israeli territory,” they added.RAND backs US presence in SyriaBaffa and Vest stated that it was in Washington’s best interest to maintain its presence in Syria. This comes as no surprise, as RAND Corporation is known for its links to the U.S. intelligence services.“Continuing to entertain the possibility of exchanging a withdrawal of U.S. forces for a near-term peace deal and a tentative agreement to limit the Iranian presence in Syria could be a mistake. The United States would be better off reaffirming its presence in Syria and maintaining its hard and soft power efforts to constrain Iran and reduce the risk of another large-scale and disastrous war in the Middle East,” the article concluded.US special representative heads to Turkey to discuss SyriaIsrael may strike Iran targets outside Syria: Lieberman‘US is preparing to strike over 20 regime positions in Syria’
Possible war between Israel, Iran looms