Erdoğan says Turkey will hit regime forces anywhere if troops hurt

Turkey's military will strike the Syrian regime's forces by air or ground anywhere in Syria if another Turkish soldier is hurt, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on Feb. 12.

"If there is the smallest injury to our soldiers on the observation posts or other places, I am declaring from here that we will hit the regime forces everywhere from today, regardless of Idlib's borders or the lines of the Sochi agreement," Erdoğan said.

He was referring to the 2018 Sochi deal with Russia. In September 2018, Turkey and Russia agreed to turn Idlib into a de-escalation zone in which acts of aggression are expressly prohibited.

The president's remarks came during the ruling Justice and Development Party's (AKP) parliamentary group meeting in capital Ankara.

"We will do this by any means necessary, by air or ground, without hesitating, without allowing for any stalling," he said.

Russia, which has an airbase in Syria, has controlled Idlib's air space for several years.

Erdoğan said Turkey is determined to push the regime forces beyond Turkish observation posts in the northwestern Idlib region by the end of February.

He also said Turkey-backed Syrian opposition have mobilized to push regime forces out of Idlib, but added they must remain disciplined. He also warned the allied opposition not to give regime forces an excuse to attack.

"We have given the message that we will act without compromise to those from the opposition groups who act in an undisciplined way and give the regime an excuse to attack," he said.

Syrian people's fight for freedom is also Turkey's fight, Erdoğan added.

The president also drew the attention of the international community to Syria, saying: ...

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