Turkey aims to smash 'wicked' scenarios in Syria - Erdoğan aide

Turkey wants to ensure the failure of some wicked scenarios in Syria in order to protect the security of itself and the whole region, said Fahrettin Altun, the Turkish presidency's communications director, on Saturday.

“We cannot swallow what has been happening in Idlib, we will ensure a pay off for our martyrs,” Sabah daily quoted Altun as saying during a speech at Turkey-Syria Media Forum organised in Istanbul.

Altun was referring to seven Turkish soldiers and one Turkish civilian killed Idlib on Monday, when the forces of the Syrian government attacked a Turkish military convoy carrying reinforcements to Turkey’s observation posts in the rebel-held enclave. 

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s top aide said a permanent peace in Syria was impossible, as long as the Syrian President Bashar Assad’s government stayed in power. 

“We want to nullify the wicked encircling scenarios in the region,” he said.

Turkish observation posts, built under a 2018 deal made with Russia over Idlib, continues to operate, Turkish Defence Ministry said on Twitter on Saturday. “In case of a new attack, the harshest response will be given under the scope of the right to self-defence,” it said.

Turkey accuses Russia of not honouring the terms of the 2018 Sochi agreement, which aimed at establishing a demilitarised zone in Idlib to prevent an attack of Assad’s forces on the province, which is home to 3 million people.

Erdoğan this week signalled that Turkey could intervene in Idlib, in case the Syrian government forces does not retreat from areas beyond Turkey’s 12 observation posts until the end of February.

A Russian delegation is expected to arrive in Turkey on Saturday for talks to ease tensions in Idlib.