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Turkish delegation in Russia to discuss Syria, Libya conflicts

Tuesday, 24 December 2019 6:48 AM [ Last Update: Tuesday, 24 December 2019 7:15 AM ]

Smoke billows following a reported Russian airstrike in the northwestern Syrian province of Idlib, near the village of Rakya, on October 24, 2019. (Photo by AFP)

A Turkish delegation has traveled to Russia to hold talks with Russian officials on the situation in Syria as well as the Libyan conflict.

The Turkish delegation arrived in Moscow on Monday, a day after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said tens of thousands of Syrians were heading toward Turkey amid a Syrian-Russian operation against militants in the Arab country’s northwestern province of Idlib.

Erdogan warned that his country, which already hosts some 3.7 million Syrian refugees, could not handle a new influx of refugees from Syria, and urged an end to the operation in Idlib, which is the last major stronghold of militants in Syria.

Russia is an ally of the Syrian government while Turkey supports anti-government militants in the conflict.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has vowed to recapture Idlib. In recent days, Syrian ground forces have recently advanced in several areas in the province.

Syrian army makes fresh gains against terrorists in Idlib

Syrian government forces make fresh gains against terrorists in Idlib province, inflicting heavy losses on them.

Meanwhile, a Turkish diplomatic source said his country’s delegation would also discuss Turkey’s potential troop deployment to Libya. Ankara signed a security and military cooperation deal with the Libyan government last month. Russia has expressed concerns about any such deployment.

Erdogan also said on Sunday that Turkey could increase military support to the Libyan government, which has been fighting off an offensive by rival forces.

Libya has been the scene of violence since 2011, when former dictator Muammar Gaddafi was toppled from power after an uprising and a NATO military intervention.

Haftar forces threaten to down civilian planes transporting military equipment to Libya

Forces loyal to Libya

Turkey supports Libya’s internationally-recognized Government of National Accord headed by Fayez al-Sarraj, which is based in Tripoli and has been under assault by a plethora of militia groups operating under the title of Libyan National Army and commanded by military officer Khalifa Haftar. LNA has been trying to seize the capital for nine months.

Later on Monday, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu had held a phone call with his Russian opposite number, Sergei Lavrov, to discuss developments in Syria and Libya, without elaborating.

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