Syria

James Jeffrey, the U.S. special envoy for Syria engagement and fight against ISIL, will pay a visit to Turkey on Feb. 12 amid recent escalation in Syria's last rebel bastion of Idlib, a province in the country's northwest.

Europe could be faced with a fresh wave of refugees unless it pays heed to Turkey's warnings over developments in Syria's northwest Idlib province, Justice and Development (AKP) spokesperson Omer Celik has said.

Europe may face a massive refugee exodus if it ignores warnings by Ankara, Turkey's ruling party spokesman said on Feb. 4.

Speaking at a news conference in Ankara, Justice and Development Party (AKP) spokesperson Ömer Çelik warned of an impending humanitarian disaster in Syria's Idlib province.

Turkey said on Feb. 3 its military hit 54 of Syrian regime's targets after eight Turkish military personnel were killed by shelling in Idlib in northwest Syria, where fighting threatens to test ties between Ankara and Moscow.

A renewed drive by Bashar al-Assad regime to recapture rebel-held territory in Syria's northwest sparked a fresh exodus of many thousands of civilians toward Turkey's border on Jan. 28 amid heavy airstrikes, state-run Anadolu Agency reported on Jan. 28.

Some 21,000 civilians have fled Syria's northwestern region of Idlib to places near the Turkish border in the last 24 hours, amid heightened bombardments by the Syrian regime and Russia, state-run Anadolu Agency reported on Jan. 27.

Around 31,600 more civilians have fled their homes in Idlib de-escalation zone in Syria over the last two days due to attacks by the regime and its allies.

According to Syria's Response Coordination Group, the displaced civilians headed to areas near the Turkish border due to the attacks that violate a cease-fire agreement between Turkey and Russia.

Turkey should play a mediation role between the two rival camps in Libya better instead of siding with one of the parties, the main opposition leader has said, urging the government to repair ties with other regional actors Syria, Israel and Egypt.

A top Turkish official and a key U.S. diplomat in the region on Jan. 11 discussed Syria and the U.S.-Iran row in Istanbul, according to diplomatic sources.

At least 31,000 civilians have fled Syria's northwestern region of Idlib to places near the Turkish border in the last four days, amid heightened bombardments by the Syrian regime and Russia, state-run Anadolu Agency reported on Jan. 7.