Turkey summons Russian, Iranian envoys over Syrian regime operations in Idlib

ANKARA

Turkey on Jan. 9 summoned the Russian and Iranian ambassadors to Ankara to express its disturbance over the Syrian army’s ongoing military operations in the country’s largest remaining rebel stronghold Idlib.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry told the Russian and Iranian envoys that the operations violate a three-way agreement that aims to de-escalate tension in Idlib, diplomatic sources told the Hürriyet Daily News.

Ankara also said it wanted an end to the Syrian army’s operations otherwise it could negatively affect an upcoming congress in Russia’s Sochi later this month to boost efforts for a political situation in the war-torn country.

The operations, the sources said, were targeting moderate rebel groups in the region.

The sources said Turkey asked the two countries to put pressure on Damascus to end the operations.