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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/aug/30/syrian-war-un-warns-russia-iran-and-turkey-against-battle-in-idlib
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| Syrian war: UN warns Russia, Iran and Turkey against battle in Idlib | Syrian war: UN warns Russia, Iran and Turkey against battle in Idlib |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The United Nations has called on Russia, Iran and Turkey to forestall a battle in Syria’s Idlib province that would affect millions of civilians and could involve both sides using chlorine as a chemical weapon. | |
| UN Syria envoy, Staffan de Mistura, told reporters on Thursday there was a high concentration of foreign fighters in Idlib, including an estimated 10,000 terrorists, but it would be better to set up humanitarian corridors to evacuate civilians than rush into a battle that could prove to be a “perfect storm”. | |
| A source told Reuters that Russia’s ally, the Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad, was preparing a phased offensive in Idlib. | A source told Reuters that Russia’s ally, the Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad, was preparing a phased offensive in Idlib. |
| On Thursday the Kremlin called Idlib a hotbed of terrorists and said not tackling the problem was not a good option. | On Thursday the Kremlin called Idlib a hotbed of terrorists and said not tackling the problem was not a good option. |
| Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov made the comments to reporters on a conference call while answering a question about planned Russian naval drills in the Mediterranean, an exercise he said the difficult situation in Syria justified. | Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov made the comments to reporters on a conference call while answering a question about planned Russian naval drills in the Mediterranean, an exercise he said the difficult situation in Syria justified. |
| The defence ministry told Russian news agencies that Russia would deploy 25 ships, including a missile cruiser, and 30 jets for the manoeuvres in the first week of September. The military said the drills would focus on anti-air and anti-submarine defence. | The defence ministry told Russian news agencies that Russia would deploy 25 ships, including a missile cruiser, and 30 jets for the manoeuvres in the first week of September. The military said the drills would focus on anti-air and anti-submarine defence. |
| It said Moscow had notified international organisations of the drills, which might make it dangerous for aircraft and ships to operate in the area. | It said Moscow had notified international organisations of the drills, which might make it dangerous for aircraft and ships to operate in the area. |
| The drills were announced after Nato reported a Russian naval buildup in the Mediterranean – part of what a Russian newspaper on Tuesday called Moscow’s largest naval build-up since it entered the Syrian conflict in 2015. | The drills were announced after Nato reported a Russian naval buildup in the Mediterranean – part of what a Russian newspaper on Tuesday called Moscow’s largest naval build-up since it entered the Syrian conflict in 2015. |
| Russia has provided crucial military support for Syrian government forces. | Russia has provided crucial military support for Syrian government forces. |
| The Russian foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, said on Wednesday that militants in Idlib had to be liquidated, describing them as “a festering abscess”. | The Russian foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, said on Wednesday that militants in Idlib had to be liquidated, describing them as “a festering abscess”. |
| “In the interest of ensuring the security of shipping and aircraft flights in line with international law, the areas of the exercise will be declared dangerous for shipping and flights,” Tass quoted the defence ministry as saying. | “In the interest of ensuring the security of shipping and aircraft flights in line with international law, the areas of the exercise will be declared dangerous for shipping and flights,” Tass quoted the defence ministry as saying. |
| Anatoly Antonov, Russia’s ambassador to the United States, said earlier on Thursday that he had told US officials that Moscow was concerned by signs that the United States was preparing new strikes on Syria. | Anatoly Antonov, Russia’s ambassador to the United States, said earlier on Thursday that he had told US officials that Moscow was concerned by signs that the United States was preparing new strikes on Syria. |
| AP and Reuters contributed to this report. | AP and Reuters contributed to this report. |
| Syria | Syria |
| Turkey | Turkey |
| Russia | Russia |
| Iran | Iran |
| United Nations | United Nations |
| Bashar al-Assad | Bashar al-Assad |
| news | news |
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