The situation in Syria escalates after the death of Turkish soldiers. President Erdogan wants retribution - and also speaks clearly to Russia.
- Several Turkish soldiers have been killed in Syria.
- Turkey then launched a retaliatory attack.
- Turkish President Erdogan also sent a reminder to Russia.
Update 11:25: In the north-west of Syria , more than half a million people have fled the fighting in the Idlib region within two months, according to the UN. Since December 1, 520,000 people have fled an offensive by Syrian government forces and their Russian allies in Idlib, David Swanson, spokesman for the United Nations Office for Humanitarian Aid (Okha) , said on Tuesday. 80 percent of the refugees are women and children.
The recent refugee movement in winter worsened an already "terrible" humanitarian situation in the region, Swanson said. Already between April and the end of August, more than 400,000 people had been displaced by the fighting, and many of them had to flee several times.
Syrian government forces , with Russian support and allied militias, had recently launched an offensive against the Idlib region, which had previously been largely controlled by Islamist and jihadist militias. Bashar al-Assad's forces have already conquered dozens of villages and some important cities. There were also violent skirmishes between the Syrian and Turkish armies on Monday, killing more than 20 people.
Escalation in Syria: Erdogan wants retribution - and has a drastic warning for Russia
First report: Ankara - After the killing of Turkish soldiers in Syria , Turkey has started a retaliatory attack in the northwest of the civil war country. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday (3.2.) That 30 to 35 Syrian fighters have been "incapacitated" so far. It is not clear whether the fighters were killed or injured. Activists from the Syrian Human Rights Observatory said 13 Syrian government soldiers were killed in the Turkish attacks .
Erdogan also sent a warning to Syria's allies Russia not to stand in the way of the attacks. According to its own account, Turkey reacted to a fire on Turkish forces by the Syrian military in the province of Idlib . According to Erdogan, five Turkish soldiers and three civilians died .
At the United Nations in New York, Secretary General António Guterres expressed concern about developments in the region. Guterres was "alarmed," said a spokesman on Monday. "This escalation shows once again the threat to peace and security in the region and internationally from the ongoing conflict in Syria," said spokesman Guterres.
Syria: Erdogan wants retribution after the death of Turkish soldiers - Turkey will ask for an account
The Ministry of Defense in Ankara said that Turkey had sent the soldiers for reinforcement, that they had been shot at despite the coordinates being announced. The Russian military , on the other hand, emphasized that the Turkish side had not informed the Russians of their movements. They came under fire from Syrian government troops who wanted to act against "terrorists".
Erdogan went on to say that such an attack cannot be left unanswered and that Turkey will ask for an account. "Those who test Turkey's determination with this kind of vicious attack will understand that they have made a big mistake." To Russia , he warned, "You shouldn't be standing in our way."
Military operations in Syria: According to Erdogan, Turkey can no longer accept refugees
Erdogan warned last week that if the situation in Idlib did not improve, Turkey would not shy away from further military operations in Syria. His country could no longer accept any more refugees from Syria. According to official figures, Turkey is already home to more than 3.6 million Syrians.
Video: Mass flight due to fighting in Syria - Erdogan threatens Europe
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When he visited the White House, Turkish President Erdogan also received less praise from everyone than President Trump. A film brought along caused outrage.
