Russia assured Turkey of no attacks on posts in Syria: FM Çavuşoğlu

OSLO- ISTANBUL

Turkey's foreign minister said on Aug. 30 Russia had assured Turkey its observation posts in northwest Syria would not be attacked.

Speaking in Oslo, Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu warned that continued attacks by Russian-based Syrian government forces in rebel-held Idlib province could unleash another wave of Syrian refugees to Europe.

He added that Turkey's military, which backs some Syrian groups, would leave the region only when a political solution was found.

Meanwhile, Defense Minister Hulusi Akar underlined that the Turkish military would put in all its efforts to prevent Syrian regime forces from carrying out attacks on children, women, old people and the youth in Idlib.     

He noted that more than 700 innocent people have been killed and more than 500,000 people forced from their homes after attacks by the regime in violation of de-escalation agreements.     

"If any damage comes to our staff or observation points we will exercise our right to self-defense to the fullest," Akar said, referring to what he said were false reports of attacks on Turkish observation points around Idlib in northwestern Syria.