Erdogan Demands Syrian Forces Immediately Leave Idlib, Refuses To Wait Until End Of Month

Erdogan Demands Syrian Forces Immediately Leave Idlib, Refuses to Wait Until End of Month

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan demanded on Saturday that Syrian government forces immediately withdrew from the areas close to Turkish observation posts in Idlib, backtracking from his previous pledge to wait for the move until the end of February

ANKARA (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 15th February, 2020) Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan demanded on Saturday that Syrian government forces immediately withdrew from the areas close to Turkish observation posts in Idlib, backtracking from his previous pledge to wait for the move until the end of February.

Erdogan earlier repeatedly threatened military action unless Syrian armed forces stopped their operation in Idlib and withdrew from the aforementioned areas by the end of the month.

"Until the regime's [Syrian government] forces pull out beyond the borders [of the Idlib de-escalation zone] outlined in the Sochi agreement, the problem will not be solved. If they do not leave, we will do this work without waiting until the end of February," Erdogan said in a speech in Istanbul, broadcast by the NTV channel.

The situation in Idlib has been tense for months. Tensions further spiked after Turkish military officers have come under fire of the Syrian government forces in the region, and two Syrian helicopters have been downed in Idlib.

Ankara accuses the Syrian government forces of violating ceasefire in Idlib and threatens with military force unless the situation changes. Damascus, in turn, defends its right to retaliate against continued militant attacks on civilians and government forces in Idlib.