ISTANBUL – Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned that droppingbombs and missiles on Syria’s last rebel-held province of Idlib could causea “massacre,” in remarks published Wednesday.
“God forbid, a serious massacre could take place if there is a rain ofmissiles there,” Erdogan told journalists on his plane after an officialvisit to the Central Asian state of Kyrgyzstan, Hurriyet daily reported.
His comments come as Syrian troops mass near the northwestern region ofIdlib for a major assault that is raising fears of a humanitariancatastrophe on a scale not yet seen in the seven-year-old conflict.
Damascus and its main backer Moscow have vowed to root out the jihadistgroups that dominate Idlib province.
Russia, an ally of President Bashar al-Assad’s regime, on Tuesday resumedair strikes on Idlib after a 22-day pause.
Turkey, which backs some of the rebels, has held several rounds of talkswith Russia aimed at averting an assault on Idlib, as well as withWashington.
“Our cooperation with Russia now is very important. The United States sendsthe ball into the corner of Russia and Russia into the corner of the US,”he said.
Erdogan talked of a “very merciless process” unfolding in Idlib, warning ofthe risk that heavy fighting would trigger an influx of refugees.
“3.5 million people live there. God forbid, it is again Turkey where thosepeople will flee in case of a disaster,” Erdogan said.
Idlib is one of the so-called “de-escalation” zones set up as a result oftalks by Russia, Turkey and Iran last year as Damascus regained control ofmore of the country.
Erdogan as well as the presidents of Iran and Russia will meet on Friday inTehran for a summit expected to focus on Idlib.
“God willing we will succeed in averting the extreme actions of the regimethere by getting a positive result from the Tehran summit,” he said.
The UN Security Council is also due to meet Friday to address the situationin Idlib amid growing fears of an attack and the possible use of chemicalweapons.
Washington warned Tuesday that if Damascus were to use chemical weapons, itwould respond. – APP/AFP