U.N. Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura
UN Special Envoy to Syria Staffan de Mistura on Friday echoed remarks by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, saying the world needs to avoid a "potential catastrophe" in Syria’s northwestern Idlib province.
Speaking via video conference at a meeting of the UN Security Council, De Mistura emphasized the need for civilian voices in Idlib to be heard by the international community.
The Bashar al-Assad regime recently announced plans to launch a major military offensive in Idlib, which is controlled by various armed opposition groups.
During his remarks to the council, the UN envoy held up a photo of a woman civilian in Idlib and noted that 98.8 percent of the population in the area are civilians.
De Mistura also received a letter from 1,000 women currently in Idlib, who urged the international community to remember that they are civilians, not terrorists.
"They are teachers, doctors, nurses, engineers, writers and homemakers, and many of them came from many parts of Syria. So Idlib in many ways symbolizes a mosaic of Syria," de Mistura said.
He went further to say that while there are different armed groups in Idlib, there needs to be a different approach in order to separate them from the rest of the population.
On Friday, the leaders of Iran, Russia and Turkey met in Tehran to discuss the situation and planned offensive in Idlib by the Assad regime. De Mistura noted that Erdoğan had put a substantive number of ideas on the table, and he is looking forward to hearing more.
De Mistura will meet with representatives of the three countries in Geneva next week.
"We want a country without war, and we want a future in which we can be alive. They too are against terrorists, but they cannot show that because the situation is very difficult," he said on behalf of the population of Idlib.
Located near the Turkish border, Idlib is home to more than 3 million Syrians, many of whom fled from other cities following attacks by the regime forces.
Syrian regime and Iran-backed militants continue to train YPG/PKK and various far-left terror groups in northwestern Syria, according to local sources.A rural area in northern Latakia, a northwestern Syria province across Turkey’s southern border province Hatay, is a post for five terrorist training camps, said the sources on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on speaking to the media.A group of nearly 200 terrorists joined the camps from Afrin, Manbij, Tal Abyad and Raqqa, it added.The terrorists use a fire brigade building and military positions as camp areas in Gabara town.Backed by Assad regime forces, YPG/PKK, far-left DHKP-C and United Freedom Forces (UFF) terror groups plot terror attacks against Turkmens and Turkey, sources said.Muhammad Yavuz, a military spokesman to Free Syrian Army-affiliated group said the terrorist PKK and numerous revolutionary groups cooperate against Turkey.The YPG is a Syrian branch of the PKK - recognized as a terrorist group by the US, EU, and Turkey.In Turkey, the PKK has claimed some 40,000 lives, including many women and children in its more than 30-year terror campaign.Turkish forces 'neutralize' three PKK terrorists in N. IraqSyria's Idlib residents concerned about new attacksAssad regime, Russia shell Syria’s Idlib‘Assad tries to sabotage Tehran summit with help of US’
Regime trains YPG/PKK, leftist terrorists in NW Syria
A joint statement has been issued after a trilateral summit meeting held between Turkey, Iran, and Russia in Iran's capital Tehran on Friday.The joint statement said, "There could be no military solution to the Syrian conflict and it can only end through a negotiated political process."The leaders expressed their "satisfaction with the achievements" of the Astana format since January 2017, in particular, the progress made in "reducing violence across the Syrian Arab Republic and contributing to peace, security, and stability in the country."Erdoğan says it is important to end bombardments in Syria's Idlib, ensure cease-fireIran, Turkey and Russia "emphasized strong and continued the commitment to the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of Syria, as well as to the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and highlighted that they should be respected by all."The leaders "rejected all attempts to create new realities on the ground under the pretext of combating terrorism," while expressing determination to stand against separatist agendas aimed at undermining the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria and national security of neighboring countries.Video: Turkish, Russian, Iranian presidents meet in TehranThe joint statement said leaders highlighted the "need to create conditions for the safe and voluntary return of refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) to their original places of residence in Syria."Russia, Iran, and Turkey also called for the United Nations and its humanitarian agencies to help Syria by providing additional humanitarian aid.Erdoğan meets Putin on sidelines of trilateral Syria summitTurkish aid officials fear mass migration from IdlibTurkish, Iranian presidents meet in TehranAssad regime, Russia shell Syria’s Idlib‘Assad tries to sabotage Tehran summit with help of US’
Tehran summit joint statement calls for political solution in Syria
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan called for a joint stance over Syria’s territorial integrity and unity, and said that he believes the results of trilateral summit in Tehran will contribute to peace in Syria.“The results of this summit are being anxiously awaited by the entire world. I believe that with the decisions we make, we will not let their expectations fall short of reality. The guarantors must send the message from this summit that they will not allow a new wave of violence or a humanitarian crisis in Syria,” Erdoğan said.The presidents of Iran, Russia and Turkey - the main outside players in Syria’s long war - were meeting in Tehran on Friday to discuss the fate of the opposition-held province of Idlib as rival factions there prepared for what could be the conflict’s last great battle.Video: Erdoğan says Turkey cannot leave Syria's Idlib to Assad’s mercyErdoğan meets Putin on sidelines of trilateral Syria summit“Idlib is critically important not just for Syria’s political future but also for our national security and the peace and stability of the region. Turkey does not want Idlib to turn into a blood bath. We expect our allies to support our efforts. We must find a reasonable solution that meets our joint concerns,” he added.The Turkish president stated that it is important to end bombardments in Idlib, and added that he believes one of most important steps of the trilateral summit would be announcing a cease-fire.Turkey agreed with Russia and Iran last year to make Idlib a “de-escalation zone” of reduced conflict and sent in army units to erect a string of observation posts along the frontlines between the opposition and the army.Turkish aid officials fear mass migration from IdlibIdlib attack will lead to massacre“Turkey has reached its refugee-hosting capacity. An attack on Idlib will result in a massacre. In an area where many factors are intertwined, an effective struggle against terrorists requires different methods that entail time and patience,” Erdoğan said.“Turkey is determined to maintain its presence in the region until Syria’s political, geographical and social integrity is truly ensured. Turkey cannot leave Idlib to the mercy of Assad regime,” he added.Turkey has 12 observation points in Syria's northwestern Idlib province in accordance with the Astana agreement.Turkish, Iranian presidents meet in Tehran“We must put forth a joint stance against all forms of terror arising from Syria, including the PYD/YPG, and initiatives that target Syria’s territorial integrity,” Erdoğan said.“Turkey is extremely disturbed by the fact that the U.S. continues to strengthen another terror group in the area even though the threat posed by Daesh no longer exists,” he added.Putin calls for UN-monitored constitutional committeeRussian President Vladimir Putin in his turn called for a UN-monitored constitutional committee to be established for Syria.“A political solution in Syria must be promoted by successfully implementing agreements,” Putin added.Assad regime, Russia shell Syria’s IdlibU.S. must leave Syria if peace is to prevail“Civilians should not be harmed in the fight in Idlib. All three countries should respect Syria’s territorial integrity to ensure that Syria finds peace. The U.S. must leave Syria for the country to be secure. The cooperation of these three countries must be respected for the Syria crisis to be resolved and for peace to prevail in the country,” Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said.The first tripartite summit regarding Syria was held in Russia’s Black Sea resort of Sochi on Nov. 22, 2017 to discuss progress made in the Astana peace talks and changes in de-escalation zones across Syria.The second trilateral meeting was hosted by Erdoğan in April in the Turkish capital Ankara.Video: Turkish, Russian, Iranian presidents meet in Tehran‘Assad tries to sabotage Tehran summit with help of US’Syria's Idlib residents concerned about new attacksChemical weapons 'being prepared' in Syria: US envoy
Erdoğan says it is important to end bombardments in Syria's Idlib, ensure cease-fire
Turkish aid officials have warned of a fresh wave of mass migration in case of any possible offensive in Syria’s Idlib.“Migration would increase dramatically […],” Turkish Red Crescent head Kerem Kınık said.“We took our measures; to buffer this possible migration wave in Syria, to meet human needs, health, protection and housing needs," he added."We even don’t want to think about here (Idlib). There is no place for this migration wave if there are massacres and civilian movements like the ones happened in Eastern Ghouta, Aleppo, Daraa and Hama," Kinik added."Idlib is now the largest province in Syria. It had 150,000 population in 2011 but now it holds 3.5 million people. We hope there is no attack on civilians,” he said.Idlib offensive could trigger new wave of migration to Europe, TurkeyUN aid chief fears worst humanitarian crisis in IdlibKınık, who is also the vice president responsible for the European region of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), said: “No matter who they are, we are standing with the oppressed people and no matter who the oppressors are we are standing against them.”Meanwhile, a board member of the Humanitarian Relief Foundation (IHH), an Istanbul-based aid agency, also warned of high casualties in case of an attack on Idlib.“In case of a possible attack on Idlib, the number of people to be killed due to the density of people will be much higher than before,” Izzet Sahin told Anadolu Agency."If this worst scenario happens those people who are dependent on humanitarian assistance from Turkey for their daily life will no longer be able to get help. They could face death and hunger. There will be a huge and dramatic migration movement,” he added.Video: Brush, cut and braid: Turkey gives hair makeover to over 500 Syrian orphans
Turkish aid officials fear mass migration from Idlib
The Syrian regime and Russia on Friday shelled parts of the Idlib region in northwest Syria, the country's last major opposition stronghold.According to preliminary reports, two Assad regime warplanes and three Russian jets conducted airstrikes in Idlib’s Kafr, Zeyte, Hobait and Abdin regions.At least 10 civilians were killed and 20 wounded in the west and south-west of Idlib during the last three days by Russian warplanes. Russian, Turkish and Iranian leaders met on Friday in Iran’s Tehran and to discuss the situation in northwestern Syria.Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan called for a joint stance over Syria’s territorial integrity and unity, and said that he believes the results of trilateral summit in Tehran will contribute to peace in Syria.Erdoğan says Idlib assault would be ‘a grave massacre’Turkey’s Erdoğan arrives in Tehran for trilateral summit‘Assad tries to sabotage Tehran summit with help of US’
Assad regime, Russia shell Syria’s Idlib