Turkey will pay heavy price if it expands military operations in Idleb: Russian MP

MOSCOW, (ST)- Deputy Chairman of Russian State Duma Committee of Defense Affairs Yuri Shvetkin has stressed that the hostile actions committed by the authorities of the Turkish regime in Idleb are a gross violation of Astana and Sochi agreements.

“Expanding military operations and acts of hostilities in Idlib will cost Turkey a heavy price,” Shvetkin said.

 Moscow is calling on Ankara to iron out the situation in Idlib by diplomatic means, stressing that a military scenario would only worsen things he said, pointing out that only the terrorists would benefit from a direct clash between the Syrian and Turkish armies.

Russian MoD: Turkey should stop supporting terrorists’ actions

In the meantime, the Russian Ministry of Defense stressed that Turkey should stop supporting terrorists in Idleb and supplying them with weapons.

The Russian Reconciliation Centre for Syria said in a statement that the attacks launched by the terrorist organizations on the axis of al-Nayrab town in Idleb southeastern countryside were supported by the Turkish forces’ artillery fire.

The Centre added that Russia notified Ankara that it had detected the Turkish artillery fire that targeted the Syrian army units, pointing out that “this is not the first time that the forces of the Turkish regime support the terrorists in Syria.

The center made it clear that “in order to prevent escalation, we urge the Turkish side to stop supporting the actions of terrorists and transferring weapons to them.”

Hamda Mustafa