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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| Erdoğan raises fears of a massacre in Syria as major assault looms | Erdoğan raises fears of a massacre in Syria as major assault looms |
| (12 days later) | |
| Turkey’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, has warned that dropping bombs and missiles on Syria’s last rebel-held province of Idlib could cause a “massacre”. | Turkey’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, has warned that dropping bombs and missiles on Syria’s last rebel-held province of Idlib could cause a “massacre”. |
| “God forbid, a serious massacre could take place if there is a rain of missiles there,” Erdoğan said after an official visit to the central Asian state of Kyrgyzstan, Hürriyet Daily News reported on Wednesday. | “God forbid, a serious massacre could take place if there is a rain of missiles there,” Erdoğan said after an official visit to the central Asian state of Kyrgyzstan, Hürriyet Daily News reported on Wednesday. |
| His comments came as Syrian troops gathered near the north-western region of Idlib for a major assault that has raised fears of a humanitarian catastrophe on a scale not yet seen in the seven-year-old conflict. | His comments came as Syrian troops gathered near the north-western region of Idlib for a major assault that has raised fears of a humanitarian catastrophe on a scale not yet seen in the seven-year-old conflict. |
| On Tuesday the UN special envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, said panic was spreading among the 3 million citizens of Idlib province as he suggested the Assad government and its allies had set 10 September as the date for a full-scale bombardment of the last large rebel enclave. | On Tuesday the UN special envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, said panic was spreading among the 3 million citizens of Idlib province as he suggested the Assad government and its allies had set 10 September as the date for a full-scale bombardment of the last large rebel enclave. |
| Damascus and its main backer, Moscow, have vowed to root out the jihadist groups that dominate Idlib province. | Damascus and its main backer, Moscow, have vowed to root out the jihadist groups that dominate Idlib province. |
| On Tuesday Russia, an ally of president Bashar al-Assad’s regime, resumed airstrikes on Idlib after a 22-day pause. | On Tuesday Russia, an ally of president Bashar al-Assad’s regime, resumed airstrikes on Idlib after a 22-day pause. |
| Turkey, which backs some of the rebels, has held several rounds of talks with Russia aimed at averting an assault on Idlib, as well as with Washington. | Turkey, which backs some of the rebels, has held several rounds of talks with Russia aimed at averting an assault on Idlib, as well as with Washington. |
| “Our cooperation with Russia now is very important,” he said. “The United States sends the ball into the corner of Russia and Russia into the corner of the US.” | “Our cooperation with Russia now is very important,” he said. “The United States sends the ball into the corner of Russia and Russia into the corner of the US.” |
| Erdoğan added a “very merciless process” was unfolding in Idlib, warning of the risk that heavy fighting would trigger an influx of refugees. | Erdoğan added a “very merciless process” was unfolding in Idlib, warning of the risk that heavy fighting would trigger an influx of refugees. |
| Trump warns Syria, Russia and Iran against 'reckless' attack on Idlib | |
| He said: “3.5 million people live there. God forbid, it is again Turkey where those people will flee in case of a disaster.” | He said: “3.5 million people live there. God forbid, it is again Turkey where those people will flee in case of a disaster.” |
| Idlib is one of the “de-escalation” zones set up as a result of talks by Russia, Turkey and Iran last year as Damascus regained control of more of the country. | Idlib is one of the “de-escalation” zones set up as a result of talks by Russia, Turkey and Iran last year as Damascus regained control of more of the country. |
| Erdoğan, as well as the presidents of Iran and Russia, will meet on Friday in Tehran for a summit expected to focus on Idlib. | Erdoğan, as well as the presidents of Iran and Russia, will meet on Friday in Tehran for a summit expected to focus on Idlib. |
| “God willing we will succeed in averting the extreme actions of the regime there by getting a positive result from the Tehran summit,” he said. | “God willing we will succeed in averting the extreme actions of the regime there by getting a positive result from the Tehran summit,” he said. |
| The UN security council is also due to meet on Friday to address the situation in Idlib amid growing fears of an attack and the possible use of chemical weapons. | The UN security council is also due to meet on Friday to address the situation in Idlib amid growing fears of an attack and the possible use of chemical weapons. |
| Donald Trump has warned Assad, Iran and Russia not to “recklessly attack” in the rebel-held Idlib province, saying that hundreds of thousands of people could be killed. | Donald Trump has warned Assad, Iran and Russia not to “recklessly attack” in the rebel-held Idlib province, saying that hundreds of thousands of people could be killed. |
| Meanwhile, De Mistura on Tuesday pleaded with the Russian and Turkish presidents to “look each other in the eyes” and find a solution that avoids a humanitarian tragedy in the region. He repeated his personal offer to go to Idlib to find a formula that avoids further conflict. | Meanwhile, De Mistura on Tuesday pleaded with the Russian and Turkish presidents to “look each other in the eyes” and find a solution that avoids a humanitarian tragedy in the region. He repeated his personal offer to go to Idlib to find a formula that avoids further conflict. |
| De Mistura also said he believed both sides in the conflict might have access to chlorine-based weapons, describing them as in the grey zone between conventional and chemical weapons. | De Mistura also said he believed both sides in the conflict might have access to chlorine-based weapons, describing them as in the grey zone between conventional and chemical weapons. |
| AFP contributed to this report | AFP contributed to this report |
| • The map of Syria in this article was updated on 6 September 2018. | • The map of Syria in this article was updated on 6 September 2018. |
| Syria | Syria |
| Turkey | Turkey |
| Recep Tayyip Erdoğan | Recep Tayyip Erdoğan |
| Russia | Russia |
| Middle East and North Africa | Middle East and North Africa |
| Bashar al-Assad | Bashar al-Assad |
| Donald Trump | Donald Trump |
| news | news |
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