THE presidents of Iran, Russia and Turkey have begun a summit on Syria as a bloody offensive on Idlib province looms, despite warnings from the US and others against the attack.
Iranian president Hassan Rouhani, Russian leader Vladimir Putin and Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan are meeting in an attempt to determine whether diplomacy could halt military action ahead of an anticipated offensive targeting the north-western Syrian province.
Erdogan called for a ceasefire and an end to air strikes in the north-western province of Idlib, something that was not immediately accepted by Putin or Rouhani.
Putin warned that militants in Idlib planned “provocations”, possibly including chemical weapons. The Syrian government has been repeatedly accused of using such weapons in the long conflict.
Rouhani demanded an immediate withdrawal of American forces in the country. The US has 2000 troops in Syria.
“The fires of war and bloodshed in Syria are reaching their end,” Rouhani said, adding that terrorism must “be uprooted in Syria, particularly in Idlib”.
Putin added that it is “unacceptable” to use civilians as a pretext to shield “terrorists” in Idlib.
Idlib province and surrounding areas are home to three million people – nearly half of them civilians displaced from other parts of Syria.
That also includes an estimated 10,000 hardcore fighters, including al Qaida-linked militants.
The three countries all have competing interests over Syria, and all face US sanctions under President Donald Trump’s administration.
Iran wants to retain its foothold in the Mediterranean nation neighbouring Israel and Lebanon.
Turkey, which backed opposition forces against Syrian leader Bashar Assad, fears refugees fleeing an offensive and further destabilisation of areas it holds in Syria.
Meanwhile, Russia wants to maintain its regional presence to fill the vacuum left by America’s uncertainty about what it wants in the conflict.
Despite America having thousands of troops in Syria, Trump has said he wants to pull them out after the war against Daesh dislodges extremists from territories it once held there.
America’s UN ambassador, Nikki Haley, has warned any military offensive in Idlib “would be a reckless escalation”.
Early this morning, a series of air strikes struck villages in south-west Idlib, targeting insurgent posts and killing a fighter, said Rami Abdurrahman, the head of the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
Abdurrahman said suspected Russian planes were responsible.
For Russia and Iran – allies of the Syrian government – retaking Idlib is crucial to complete what they see as a victory in Syria’s civil war after Syrian troops recaptured nearly all other major towns and cities, largely defeating the rebellion against Assad.
A bloody offensive that creates a massive wave of death and displacement, however, runs counter to their narrative that the situation in Syria is normalising, and could hurt Russia’s long-term efforts to encourage the return of refugees and get western countries to invest in Syria’s post-war reconstruction.
The US will chair a UN Security Council meeting about the offensive today.
Ilnur Cevik, an adviser to Erdogan, wrote in the Daily Sabah newspaper: “Assad bolstered by Iran’s land assets and Russian air power and his use of chemical weapons has punched his way into opposition strongholds and hence massive gains for the Damascus regime.
“You still need moderate opposition groups who represent the Sunni suffering masses in Syria to achieve a viable political solution and durable peace in this country.
“Iran and Russia are the fighting forces in Syria and have brought blood and tears.
“The Tehran summit can produce peace and reconciliation in Syria, or it can deepen the mess created by endless bouts of violence mainly instigated by the Assad regime.”
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