Turkey 'determined to stop Syrian gov't violations of Idlib ceasefire'
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said that Turkey is determined to prevent the Syrian government from attempting to violate a ceasefire in the northwestern province of Idlib. "We are determined to stop the regime's attempts to violate the ceasefire, ourselves if needed. This is no joke," he said. Noting that previous ceasefires in Idlib were broken by the Syrian army, he said: "This time, the situation is different."
Duvar English
Turkey is determined to stop Syrian government's attempts to violate a ceasefire in the northwestern province of Idlib, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said, as he commented on a recent migration wave from the jihadist hub.
"We are determined to stop the regime's attempts to violate the ceasefire, ourselves if needed. This is no joke. Everybody should see and accept that Turkey definitely does what it says," Erdoğan said during his address to the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) on Jan. 14.
"I hope the ceasefire lasts," he said, referring to the ceasefire that began early on Jan. 12, succeeding a deescalation deal reached in September 2018.
Noting that previous ceasefires in Idlib were broken by the Syrian army, he said: "This time, the situation is different."
Saying that the ceasefire must be carried out in a way that would pave the way for 400,000 Syrians, who poured to Turkish border, to return to their homes, Erdoğan urged the international community to discuss "the Syrian regime's use of violence."
During his speech, Erdoğan said that the "world watches what's happening in Idlib, instead of finding a solution."
"Since we don't have a legitimate administration that represents all of the people as a counterpart, we are carrying out the process in Idlib with Russia," he added.
Commenting on the humanitarian aid sent to Syria, Erdoğan noted that aid sent by the United Nations reaches the country majority of the time via Turkey.