Turkey threatens Syria with "hard tour"

The emergency session at the UN reinforces the impression that a further escalation in Syria could trigger a serious chain reaction.

New York (AP) - After the recent escalation of the conflict between Syria and NATO member Turkey, Ankara has threatened retaliation in the UN Security Council: "If you want to learn it the hard way, you can have it."

"Turkey does not want war. But Turkey will not hesitate to use violence when its security is under threat," said Turkish Ambassador Feridun Hadi Sinirlioǧlu at an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council in New York. Any provocation on the Syrian side would be answered with all the might.

The session of the most powerful UN body had been convened shortly after an airstrike against the Turkish army in the northern Syrian province of Idlib. At least 33 soldiers were killed on Thursday, according to Turkish figures - Sinirlioǧlu gave the number 34 on Friday. After the incident, Ankara called for help from NATO and the international community and attacked Syrian government troops in retaliation on Friday night.

The United States backed Turkey for possible further military maneuvers. "Turkey has our full support to respond in self-defense to unjustified attacks on Turkish observation posts that have resulted in the death of its own armed forces," said United States ambassador Kelly Craft. That also applies to the coming days. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo also said that after the "contemptible" attack, the United States would stand by NATO's ally.

Russia's UN ambassador Vasily Nebensya expressed regret at the death of the Turkish soldiers, but also said that they were outside an observation post. "When it became clear that it had happened, the Russian side took extensive measures to end the hostilities." He emphasized that despite everything, the Idlib region was Syrian territory.

Idlib is the last major rebel area in the civil war country. Turkey supports Islamist rebels in the conflict. It had reached an agreement with Russia, the Syrian government's protecting power, to set up a de-escalation zone in Idlib, and set up observation posts there. A ceasefire actually applies. In recent weeks, Syria has continued to advance in the area with Russian support.

UN head António Guterres also attended the Security Council meeting and warned that the Syria conflict had entered a new phase with the escalation. Rosemary DiCarlo, Undersecretary for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, called for a new ceasefire for Idlib and painted a grim picture of the situation on the ground in the face of unscrupulous struggles. "Civilians are killed in camps for displaced people, schools and hospitals. This happens day and night, day in and day out. Hospitals destroyed, schools destroyed, human lives destroyed."

In addition to a number of other UN ambassadors, German representative Christoph Heusgen also called for an immediate ceasefire and emphasized "full solidarity" with Turkey. He also turned against Syria's protective power Moscow. "We call on Russia to end support for the military offensive by the Syrian regime." A military solution to the conflict was impossible.

In view of the escalation of the Turkish-Syrian conflict, NATO's North Atlantic Council had already met on Friday for a special meeting. Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg then called on Syria and Russia to end their offensive, respect international law and support the UN's efforts to find a peaceful solution. "This dangerous situation must be de-escalated."