Yesterday, the Syrian authorities confirmed their intention to firmly confront the Turkish "aggression" on its soil, following the announcement of Ankara to start a large-scale military operation in Idlib province, where it will deploy its forces and provide support to armed factions, while Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan threatened to send "millions" of immigrants To Europe.
In detail, an official source at the Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates said that his country “affirms the determination and determination to confront the vicious Turkish aggression with all firmness, and put an end to all Turkish interventions, in order to preserve the integrity and unity of the Syrian lands.”
He added: «This Turkish aggression demonstrates, once again, the Erdogan regime’s lack of the lowest levels of credibility, through its violation and its lack of commitment to the obligations of the Astana process and the Sochi understandings, and its insistence on staying in one trench with the terrorist groups, which proves what Syria has consistently asserted that the Erdogan regime Not worthy, nor qualified to be one of the guarantors of the Astana operation, ”according to the Syrian News Agency (SANA).
The source affirmed that, “based on Syria’s keenness on security and stability in the region and the world, it demands the international community to condemn the Turkish aggression, which constitutes a flagrant violation of international law, and to put an end to the behaviors of the Erdogan regime in supporting terrorism and the dangers of its spread in the region and the world, by transferring the terrorists to Libya and trading in suffering The Syrians are blackmailing European countries, by allowing waves of displaced people to go to Europe, which poses a serious threat to security, peace and international stability.
This comes at a time when the Syrian army, with Russian support, entered again the city of Saraqib, which is strategically located in northwestern Syria, after violent battles against the armed factions, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and the Syrian official media yesterday.
The observatory counted the killing of 23 members of the fighting factions on the axes of Saraqib at night.
For its part, Russia said yesterday that it cannot guarantee the safety of Turkish aircraft over Syria, after Turkey shot down two Syrian war planes and bombed a military airport.
Damascus announced yesterday the closure of airspace over the Idlib area, which is the last part of Syria controlled by opposition fighters, and is witnessing an escalation of fighting as the Russian-backed government forces attempt to expel opposition fighters allied to Ankara.
On the other hand, Erdogan warned yesterday that "millions" of immigrants and refugees will go to Europe, to intensify his pressure on Western countries, to obtain more aid in the Syrian conflict.
Erdogan also expressed his hope for a ceasefire agreement in Syria, when he met his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, later in the week, after heavy fighting in Idlib province, the last stronghold of fighters.
He warned that Europe should bear its share of the refugee crisis, which was caused by violence in the region.
"After we opened our doors, we received many phone calls, they told us to close the doors," he said. But I told them it was done, finished. The doors are open. Now you have to bear your share of the burden. ”
Clashes erupted, when Greek police prevented thousands from entering the border, over the weekend, and fired tear gas at migrants who responded by throwing stones.
• The Syrian army forces again enter the city of Saraqib, which is strategically located.
Russia confirmed that it cannot guarantee the safety of Turkish aircraft over Syria.