"They will not have a head over their shoulder" .. Erdogan threatens the regime forces and fierce battles in Saraqib and Jabal Al-Zawiya

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday called for the withdrawal of the Syrian regime forces in northwestern Syria to the lines identified by Turkey, adding that the losses incurred by these forces in the attacks of Turkey and the opposition fighters are only a beginning.

"The Syrian regime has inflicted the greatest loss in its history, and the human and material losses of the regime so far are only a beginning," Erdogan said in a speech in Ankara.

"We will assure these heedless people that we are a big country that does not bend even if we are beheaded, and say to Russia and Iran again, Turkey has no problem with you in Syria."

He pointed out that Turkey does not depend in its struggle on a specific country or institution, but rather depends on its capabilities, capabilities, the arms and bravery of its soldiers.

Commenting on the Operation Spring Shield, which began after the Syrian regime forces assaulted Turkish soldiers in Idlib governorate, Erdogan said: It is our duty to defeat and destroy those who caused the death of our soldiers.

"We are determined not to allow terrorist organizations to threaten our borders and overlook the ambitions of an unjust regime to cut off parts of our lands, and from the attempts of Turkey to bear the burdens of millions of refugees continuously," he added.

Erdogan stressed that his country's goals in Syria are not to carve out lands from this country nor to establish sectarian or strategic bases there, indicating that the goal is to provide protection for Syrians fleeing the attacks of the regime and to secure the integrity of the Turkish border.

He added, "Turkey is the one that hosts 3.7 million Syrians on its soil and more than a million Syrians near its southern borders, not Russia, Iran or any other country. For 9 years, we have borne the burden of refugees on our own."

On the refugee issue, Erdogan said, "For years, Turkey has been calling on the West to create a safe area in Syria to house the fugitives of the regime's injustice, and they did not move a finger, but when we decided to open the borders to the refugees towards Europe, contacts began to pour in."

Erdogan put the European countries in front of two options, saying: Either we provide them with a decent life on their lands, or you will bear your share of their burden.

Mount the corner and watch
On the field level, Anatolia news agency reported that the moderate Syrian opposition factions regained control of Jabal al-Zawiya, in the southeastern countryside of Idlib, after controlling today 3 new villages today.

Sources in the opposition told the correspondent of the agency that the moderate opposition factions were able to expel the elements of the regime from the villages of Hazarin, Kafrmous and Dar al-Kabira after violent clashes with them, in order to control the entire area of ​​Jabal Zawiya.

Thus, the moderate opposition factions have taken control of 12 villages within 3 days within the fourth de-escalation zone in Idlib.

The area of ​​Jabal Zawiya is gaining importance from being the gateway to the international M4 road linking the cities of Aleppo in the north, and Lattakia in the west.

In the city of Saraqib, violent clashes are taking place between opposition factions and the regime forces in the vicinity of the strategic city located on the intersection of the international M5 and M4 roads, which the opposition seized on February 27 after violent battles with the regime forces.

The Syrian News Agency said that the regime forces entered the city of Saraqib after fierce battles with the opposition forces, while sources in the opposition denied to Al-Jazeera correspondent that the regime had taken control of the whole city.

Meet Moscow
While fighting continues on the frontlines of fighting in northern Syria; for his part, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed his hope for a cease-fire in Idlib.

"I will go to Moscow Thursday to discuss developments with Putin. I hope there (Putin) will take necessary measures such as a ceasefire and find a solution to this issue," he said during a speech in Ankara.

In turn, the Turkish Minister of Defense said that his country does not want a confrontation with Russia but rather pushed the Syrian regime to end the massacres.

"It will undoubtedly be a difficult meeting, but the two presidents confirm their desire to resolve the situation in Idlib," said Kremlin spokesman Dimitri Peskov.

He stressed that Moscow attaches great importance to cooperation with Turkey in combating terrorism in Syria.

The Iranian position
In Tehran, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi said that his country believes in political solutions to end the crisis in Idlib, and believes that the Astana track is the strongest path to resolve the situation in it.

Mousavi added - at a press conference - that Iran is seeking to reduce tension in Idlib by holding a meeting in Tehran of the heads of the three countries participating in the Astana track.

He declared that Iran is ready to participate and cooperate in any framework and other policy solutions to stop the escalation in Idlib, and Mousavi stressed that Tehran continues its contacts with the countries concerned with the Astana process regarding the developments in Idlib and reducing tension in it.