Airstrike Hits Turkish Forces in Syria, Raising Fears of Escalation.

The Turkish Army suffered mass casualties in the strike, officials said, an attack that could set off a direct conflict between Turkey and Russia.

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Turkish military forces in Syria’s Idlib Province this week. The attack on Thursday took place south of Idlib City.Credit...Ghaith Alsayed/Associated Press
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By Carlotta Gall
Feb. 27, 2020
ISTANBUL — The Turkish Army suffered mass casualties in an airstrike in northwest Syria late Thursday, an attack that could dramatically change the course of the Syrian war as fears grow of a direct conflict between Russia and Turkey, a NATO member.

At least 33 Turkish soldiers were killed and more than 30 wounded, said Rahmi Dogan, the Turkish governor of the southern province of Hatay, where the Turkish casualties were arriving.

Turkish officials said the strike had been carried out by Syrian government forces, but Russian jets have been conducting most of the airstrikes in the area in recent weeks. Turkish protesters in Istanbul converged on the Russian Consulate there early Friday, chanting “Murderer Russia! Murderer Putin!”

Turkish officials have avoided blaming the Russian government for aggression against their forces in Syria, hoping to avoid a direct confrontation with Russia’s much stronger military and to keep a line open for talks with Russia’s president, Vladimir V. Putin.

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Russian officials could not be reached for comment late Thursday.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey convened an emergency meeting Thursday evening in Ankara, Turkish media reported. And Turkish forces began retaliating Thursday against Syrian forces in northeastern Idlib Province.

Turkey has long supported opposition forces in Syria’s nine-year civil war against the government of President Bashar al-Assad. Mr. Assad, backed by Russia and Iran, has largely defeated the uprising, at a cost of hundreds of thousands of lives and the creation of millions of refugees.

His government, backed by Russian warplanes, is fighting in Idlib to retake the country’s last rebel-held province. In the past three months, the intensified fighting there has driven nearly a million people from their homes, creating a humanitarian crisis on Turkey’s border.

In recent days, tensions between the two sides have been rising, increasing fears of a war breaking out between Turkey and Russia, which controls the airspace in northwestern Syria.

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Mr. Erdogan has called for Syrian government and Russia forces to cease their offensive in Idlib and to pull back from Turkish positions, which have been encircled and cut off by Syrian government forces. He has also called for a Turkish-controlled safe zone in the region for the displaced civilians.

Turkey has deployed thousands of troops into the province to stem the Syrian government advance but has been severely hampered by the lack of air support. Russia has been conducting a blistering air campaign across the province, bombing hospitals, schools and residential buildings, killing at least 300 people in three months.

Turkey has asked the United States for Patriot missiles to help defend its troops, and called for NATO to enforce a no-fly zone to protect the nearly three million civilians in Idlib Province.

But Washington and NATO members have so far refused to engage militarily in northwest Syria out of reluctance to confront Russia, Western officials said. The United States is withholding Patriot missiles until Turkey agrees to render its Russian S400 missile system inoperable.

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The United States has about 500 troops in northeastern and southern Syria, whose main missions are to prevent the Islamic State from returning there and to guard Syrian oil fields.

Turkey is a NATO member, prompting fears in the West that an attack on Turkey could require a response by allies in Europe and North America, dramatically escalating Syria’s already complex war.

“The attack against Turkey is an attack against NATO,” Omer Celik, the spokesman for Mr. Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party, said on the CNN Turk news channel. “NATO should have been with Turkey, not starting today but from before these events. We are expecting concrete actions on the safe zone and no-fly zone.”

There was no immediate comment from the White House, but President Trump has made it clear that he would like to keep out of the conflict, and has previously ordered American troops to leave Syria.

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On Wednesday, Defense Secretary Mark T. Esper told members of the House Armed Services Committee that the United States was not looking to reassert its presence there.

“There has not been that discussion about re-engaging in the civil war,” he said. “We think the best path forward is through the U.N. process that is underway.”

Several American officials, however, reacted to the airstrike on Thursday with alarm.

“The prospects of a direct military confrontation between Turkey & Russia in Syria are very high & increasing by the hour,” Senator Marco Rubio, Republican of Florida, said in a tweet. Mr. Erdogan, he said, “is on the right side here. Putin & Assad are responsible for this horrific humanitarian catastrophe.”

Kay Bailey Hutchison, the American ambassador to NATO, told reporters in Washington on Thursday that “everything is on the table.”

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“This is a big development,” Ms. Hutchison said, “and our alliance is with Turkey, it is not with Russia.” She added, “We want Turkey to understand that we are the ones that they’ve been allied with.”

The attack on Thursday hit Turkish troops between the towns of Al Bara and Balyoun, south of the city of Idlib. Turkish troops have been positioned in 12 observation posts set up over a year ago as part of a de-escalation agreement with Russia.

A Turkish military convoy traveling to resupply troops came under aerial attack first, and then a building where the troops were based was struck, Abu Yahya, a senior official of the Turkish-backed Syrian fighting force in Idlib Province, said in an interview.

The Turkish-backed Syrian fighters have made significant gains in battles against Syrian government forces farther east recently. They captured the town of Saraqib on the main M5 highway through the province on Wednesday and were engaged in fierce battles farther south on Thursday.

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The Turkish Army called on its Syrian proxies to raise their readiness for operations, a Syrian media group reported.

Emotions were running high in Reyhanli, on the Turkish side of the Syrian border, where the casualties were brought. People gathered to donate blood and a crowd chanted “God is Great” outside the main hospital.

The escalation came as Western members of the United Nations Security Council in New York implored Russia and Syria to decree a humanitarian cease-fire in the Idlib region.

“There is more this council can and must do to stop the suffering,” Foreign Minister Heiko Maas of Germany and Deputy Prime Minister Alexander De Croo of Belgium told the council in a joint statement on Thursday morning.

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Ursula Mueller, the assistant secretary general for humanitarian affairs, told council members that the deprivations facing civilians in northwest Syria were “not humanly tolerable.” Henrietta Fore, the executive director of Unicef, who is to visit Syria this weekend, said “we desperately need a cessation of hostilities in northwest Syria.”

But the Russians, who have vetoed 14 Security Council resolutions on Syria since the insurgency began in 2011, rejected the entreaty.

Vassily Nebenzia, Russia’s ambassador to the global body, said the only long-term solution in Idlib and the rest of Syria was “a final and irreversible expulsion from the country of all terrorists.”

Idlib’s three million people include about 1.5 million opponents of the Syrian government, who have fled to Idlib from other parts of Syria, as well as fewer than 100,000 jihadists and rebels, according to estimates. The Syrian government and Russia refer to members of the civilian opposition and the rebel and jihadist groups as terrorists.

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Russian state news services did not report on the strike by late Thursday, but they cited military officials blaming Turkey for supporting militants who are targeting Russian positions.

“The Turkish side continued to support illegal armed formations with artillery fire and reconnaissance and attack drones,” Interfax cited a rear admiral, Oleg Zhuravlev, as saying. Admiral Zhuravlev said the Russian Air Force shot down a Turkish drone.

Rossiya 24, a state news channel, reported that Turkey was targeting Syrian Army troops with artillery and Russian helicopters with antiaircraft fire in response to the strike that killed Turkish soldiers. The report cited only unspecified “information” it had received, not an official source.

Reporting was contributed by Saad Alnassife from Gaziantep, Turkey; Lara Jakes and Zach Montague from Washington; Hwaida Saad from Beirut; Rick Gladstone from New York; and Andrew Kramer from Moscow.

The War in Syria
‘It’s Like the End of the World’Feb. 18, 2020

Syrian Attacks Draw Turkey Deeper Into Syrian WarFeb. 12, 2020

Turkey, Flexing Its Muscles, Will Send Troops to LibyaJan. 2, 2020

Carlotta Gall is the Istanbul bureau chief, covering Turkey. She previously covered the aftershocks of the Arab Spring from Tunisia, reported from the Balkans during the war in Kosovo and Serbia, and covered Afghanistan and Pakistan. @carlottagall • Facebook

Correction: Feb. 27, 2020
Because of an editing error, an earlier version of this article misidentified the forces that Turkey said had conducted a deadly airstrike on Turkish forces in Syria. They were Syrian government forces, Turkey said, not Russian.
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https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/27/world/middleeast/russia-turkey-syria-war-strikes.html

Misleading headline.... Actually Syria was afraid and asking Russia to intervene because they said is mistake.. Putin will meet erdogan on match 5 to plead with the Turks. You just copied new York times article, change the headline and post it on nairaland... So what's your gain here.

If Turkey meat Erdogan thinks Russia would because of its recent bilateral relationship with Ankara abandons its ally, Syria, then he is in for many more disappointment to come.

Russia don't abandon or backstabbed its allies, unlike America that abandoned the Kurds to suffer their own fate under Erdogan. It was very clear that Russia coordinated the attack that kills those Turkish forces. The Turks knows this and that's why they are calling for NATO help, blackmailing Europe with more refugees.

Erdogan is learning the hard way that Russia never forget. They are now paying in kind for the downing of the SU 24 in 2015.

More interesting times lies ahead.

tsephanyah:
Misleading headline.... Actually Syria was afraid and asking Russia to intervene because they said is mistake.. Putin will meet erdogan on match 5 to plead with the Turks. You just copied new York times article, change the headline and post it on nairaland... So what's your gain here.

Where are you getting this your propaganda from? Turkish soldiers that were killed where in an area terrorist operate from, I will search for the map and show you.

The Turkish soldiers are not welcome in Syria, they entered Syria illegally. NATO will do nothing about it.

BabaOwen:
Where are you getting this rubbish from? Turkish soldiers that were killed where in an area terrorist operate from, I will search for the map and show you.

The Turkish soldiers are not welcome in Syria, they entered Syria illegally. NATO will do nothing about it.

they're actually patrolling there borders inside Syria to protect the whole EU from terrorist infiltration, with blessing from NATO. Go beyond the headline and understand how politics and war shaping the global geography.. lemme recommend a book for you..

What is more?

NATO that criticised Turkey last year for launching military operations in Syria are the one saying they stand with their ally.

tsephanyah:
they're actually patrolling there borders inside Syria to protect the whole EU from terrorist infiltration, with blessing from NATO. Go beyond the headline and understand how politics and war shaping the global geography.. lemme recommend a book for you..

Mtcheww... When has Idlib become part of Syria?

Erdogan that is busy threatening the EU. He said if the EU takes no action on this he is going to let refugees flow into Europe
The EU and NATO will do absolutely nothing about this

BabaOwen:
Mtcheww... When has Idlib become part of Syria?

Erdogan that is busy threatening the EU. He said if the EU takes no action on this he is going to let refugees flow into Europe
The EU and NATO will do absolutely nothing about this

shhh! calm down are you high? Idlib is in Syria and is a big city. Now don't embarrass yourself further... Before commenting on foreign affairs issues read books not news.

tsephanyah:
Misleading headline.... Actually Syria was afraid and asking Russia to intervene because they said is mistake.. Putin will meet erdogan on match 5 to plead with the Turks. You just copied new York times article, change the headline and post it on nairaland... So what's your gain here.

Mistake? Turkish forces were directly attacked and the turks knew the Russians has a hand in it because the Russians rules the Syrian skies in that part. They are only refusing to accuse Russia directly because they knew their hands are dirty as well for directly and indirectly supplying and using shoulder-mounted antiaircraft missiles to target both Russian and Syrian planes.

The Turks are the ones asking for help here, not the Syrians. In case you don't know it, Turkish forces in Idlib are surrounded from every side.

Putin will never plead with the turks that has failed to honor its side of the Sochi accord. Let that sink in.

I didn't change the heading. The heading is in the body of the article up there. What I did was create a heading that mirrors the reality on ground.

tsephanyah:
shhh! calm down are you high? Idlib is in Syria and is a big city. Now don't embarrass yourself further... Before commenting on foreign affairs issues read books not news.

Spare him for his error, all ofvus do err at some points. He meant to say Turkey not Syria. 0

BabaOwen:
Where are you getting this your propaganda from? Turkish soldiers that were killed where in an area terrorist operate from, I will search for the map and show you.

The Turkish soldiers are not welcome in Syria, they entered Syria illegally. NATO will do nothing about it.

Spot on.

If erdogan is killed, terrorists will decrease by half.
I hate that man.

And I love their drama. What an irony

tsephanyah:
shhh! calm down are you high? Idlib is in Syria and is a big city. Now don't embarrass yourself further... Before commenting on foreign affairs issues read books not news.

Turkey’s invasion of Syria turns sour
Ankara was forced to request urgent consultations with NATO under Article 4 of the bloc's treaty
By STEPHEN BRYEN
FEBRUARY 29, 2020


Turkish military reinforcements are seen before leaving for observation posts in Syria's Idlib, on February 12, 2020 in Hatay, Turkey. Photo: Anadolu Agency
Turkey urgently requested consultations with NATO under Article 4 of the NATO treaty.

Article 4 provides: “The Parties will consult together whenever, in the opinion of any of them, the territorial integrity, political independence or security of any of the Parties is threatened.”

It is hard to see how Article 4 applies in any way to Turkey’s invasion of Syria or its backing of anti-Kurd “rebels” on Syrian territory, or its supply of weapons including anti-aircraft missiles to the rebels. But NATO easily agreed to a consultation because it offered an opportunity for the bloc to accuse Russia of attacking the Turks, but with no immediate consequence.

Article 5 of the NATO treaty is its collective security provision. It says in part: “The Parties agree that an armed attack against one or more of them in Europe or North America shall be considered an attack against them all and consequently they agree that, if such an armed attack occurs, each of them, in exercise of the right of individual or collective self-defense recognized by Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations, will assist the Party or Parties so attacked by taking forthwith, individually and in concert with the other Parties, such action as it deems necessary, including the use of armed force, to restore and maintain the security of the North Atlantic area.”

Article 5 simply does not apply to the Turkish operation in Syria as there is no attack against Turkish territory that could possibly justify invoking Article 5. Furthermore, Article 5 requires unanimity among all the NATO members, and Greece would never agree to the use of Article 5 on behalf of Turkey. In fact, Greece and Turkey are in a major struggle over the eastern Mediterranean and Turkish fighter planes as recently as this past week violated Greek airspace 30 times in a single day (February 25). Last year there were 4,627 incidents of Turkish violations of Greek airspace.

Oil exploration

Turkey is also trying to block oil exploration off the coast of Cyprus and has entered into a deal with a very shaky Libyan government, claiming that the entire area’s seabed belongs to both these countries, not to Cyprus or Greece. Turkey’s aggressive effort to make sea bed claims that are not accepted internationally goes with Turkey’s policy to block any oil and gas pipeline that would stretch from Israel and Cyprus to Greece and Italy.

With Article 5 a complete non-starter, Turkey is also putting heavy pressure on the EU, using refugees as the bait. Hundreds of Syrian refugees are being cut loose from Turkey, where they are sheltered, and are heading toward Greece and Bulgaria. The Turkish government has ordered its coastguard and border security officials to stand aside and permit the refugees to leave Turkish territory. The Bulgarians have already moved 1,000 soldiers to its border to block refugee transit.

The Turks think that by threatening Europe with another wave of Syrian refugees, the Europeans will turn around and back Turkey’s struggle in Syria, which is primarily focused on the Kurds. That “struggle” has metastasized into a struggle against the Syrian army and Russia, although Russia is proclaiming its innocence, saying its air force did not attack Turkish troops or command posts in Syrian territory.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan have spoken but not resolved the matter. Russia insists that Turkey violated deconfliction agreements in place between the two countries and is responsible for what happened to its troops. Russia also says that the attack on Turkish troops was by Syrian artillery, not Russian aircraft.

Delicate position

The United States is in a delicate position. While the US would not mind seeing Russia and Turkey at loggerheads, Washington has zero interest in being drawn into a conflict that could become a clash between the Russian air force and navy against the US and Turkey. That would quickly become a general war, and while the US may have some hope of checkmating the Russians, the price would be very high and the conflict with Russia could easily get out of hand and spread to Eastern Europe.

These days the US and NATO are in a very weak military position vis-à-vis the Russians, and any such conflict could shatter the NATO alliance. Europe depends on Russia for energy and probably would walk away rather than get caught up in a conflict on its eastern flank. For the same reason the Europeans don’t want a conflict in the eastern Mediterranean. Meanwhile, the Russians have moved two advanced guided missile warships, the Admiral Grigorovich and the Admiral Makarov into the eastern Mediterranean, having transited the Bosporus.

Turkey, which controls the straits under the Montreaux Convention, did not attempt to block the Russian warship transit. The Makarov and Grigorovich are equipped with Kalibr cruise missiles, a distinct threat to Turkish forces. The Russian Kalibr may have a range of 4,500 km and has an accuracy of around 3 meters, making it a potentially formidable weapon against Turkish ground forces, but also a threat against US and allied warships and US and NATO bases in Turkey.

The Russians say that while the Turks asked for direct contact between Erdogan and Putin, which took place by telephone, the two leaders might meet soon. Increasingly, Russian interests are diverging from Turkey, although Putin has tried to play the Turkish card, selling the S-400 air defense system to Turkey over strenuous US and NATO objections, and reportedly is discussing with the Turks sales of its advanced warplane technology, probably Su-57 coproduction in Turkey.

Undermining NATO

Because the Turkish relationship is important to Russia economically and as a way of undermining NATO, Putin will no doubt try and find some grounds for reconciliation with Erdogan.

But Russia won’t agree that Syria forego its effort to retake its own territory, so the two sides will have to find a creative solution, something the Turkish style of intervention and diplomacy is unaccustomed to doing. That’s one of the prime reasons the Turkish occupation of Northern Cyprus has continued since Turkey’s invasion in 1974. Probably the best that can be achieved in Syria is a temporary standstill.

What is certainly true is that NATO and the US have almost no leverage over the Turks or Russia, meaning the game mostly falls on the shoulders of Erdogan and Putin either to resolve the matter or to continue clashing in an evolving and dangerous environment

sassysure:
If erdogan is killed, terrorists will decrease by half.
I hate that man.

And I love their drama. What an irony

The funny thing is that it was RuAF that bombed those Turkish soldiers. Instead of him to retaliate against the RuAF, he bombed the Syrians

By the time the Syrian army and the RuAF are through with the free Syrian army and IS, they will face the Turkish military if they fail to leave idlib.

Appleyard:

Mistake? Turkish forces were directly attacked and the turks knew the Russians has a hand in it because the Russians rules the Syrian skies in that part. They are only refusing to accuse Russia directly because they knew their hands are dirty as well for directly and indirectly supplying and using shoulder-mounted antiaircraft missiles to target both Russian and Syrian planes.

The Turks are the ones asking for help here, not the Syrians. In case you don't know it, Turkish forces in Idlib are surrounded from every side.

Putin will never plead with the turks that has failed to honor its side of the Sochi accord. Let that sink in.

I didn't change the heading. The heading is in the body of the article up there. What I did was create a heading that mirrors the reality on ground.

seriously! Like seriously the Turks are afraid of Syria... Russians are afraid because if things got real NATO will fight the war beside turkey. So the Russians will kiss goodbye for their big dreams into the Mediterranean, turkstream gas pipeline, ETC Putin literally call erdogan not to escalate and schedule a meeting on 5 March... Because this wrong calculation might caused him to lose again to the Americans and EU

tsephanyah:
they're actually patrolling there borders inside Syria to protect the whole EU from terrorist infiltration, with blessing from NATO. Go beyond the headline and understand how politics and war shaping the global geography.. lemme recommend a book for you..

Turkey patrolling its borders inside Syria? What a Joke .

Turkish forces in Syria is an invading force and everyone knows that. Idlip isn't even a border town with Turkey, so your excuses doesn't hold water. The Turkish soldiers killed late Thursday were in covert operations in observatory posts aiding and abetting the targeting of Russian and Syrian planes. It was in same area that Russia lost a plane two weeks ago. So the Syrians with the full blessings and capabilities of the Russians simply bombed them to send Ankara a strong covert warning: "down any of our planes again, and we will kick your ass straight to hell."

As we speak, two Russian frigates with cruise missiles have already crossed the Bosphorous heading to the Mediterranean sea (Kalibr in heat stage ). Believe me, those cruise missiles won't be picking out 'moderate rebels' by the time they start to rain. Ankara got the message very clear, hence their rush to consult with NATO. .

dermmy:
NATO that criticised Turkey last year for launching military operations in Syria are the one saying they stand with their ally.

Erdogan is just making a fool of himself. Of course, NATO would voice solidarity with Ankara, but nothing more they can do to help him.

BabaOwen:
Turkey’s invasion of Syria turns sour
Ankara was forced to request urgent consultations with NATO under Article 4 of the bloc's treaty
By STEPHEN BRYEN
FEBRUARY 29, 2020


Turkish military reinforcements are seen before leaving for observation posts in Syria's Idlib, on February 12, 2020 in Hatay, Turkey. Photo: Anadolu Agency
Turkey urgently requested consultations with NATO under Article 4 of the NATO treaty.

Article 4 provides: “The Parties will consult together whenever, in the opinion of any of them, the territorial integrity, political independence or security of any of the Parties is threatened.”

It is hard to see how Article 4 applies in any way to Turkey’s invasion of Syria or its backing of anti-Kurd “rebels” on Syrian territory, or its supply of weapons including anti-aircraft missiles to the rebels. But NATO easily agreed to a consultation because it offered an opportunity for the bloc to accuse Russia of attacking the Turks, but with no immediate consequence.

Article 5 of the NATO treaty is its collective security provision. It says in part: “The Parties agree that an armed attack against one or more of them in Europe or North America shall be considered an attack against them all and consequently they agree that, if such an armed attack occurs, each of them, in exercise of the right of individual or collective self-defense recognized by Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations, will assist the Party or Parties so attacked by taking forthwith, individually and in concert with the other Parties, such action as it deems necessary, including the use of armed force, to restore and maintain the security of the North Atlantic area.”

Article 5 simply does not apply to the Turkish operation in Syria as there is no attack against Turkish territory that could possibly justify invoking Article 5. Furthermore, Article 5 requires unanimity among all the NATO members, and Greece would never agree to the use of Article 5 on behalf of Turkey. In fact, Greece and Turkey are in a major struggle over the eastern Mediterranean and Turkish fighter planes as recently as this past week violated Greek airspace 30 times in a single day (February 25). Last year there were 4,627 incidents of Turkish violations of Greek airspace.

Oil exploration

Turkey is also trying to block oil exploration off the coast of Cyprus and has entered into a deal with a very shaky Libyan government, claiming that the entire area’s seabed belongs to both these countries, not to Cyprus or Greece. Turkey’s aggressive effort to make sea bed claims that are not accepted internationally goes with Turkey’s policy to block any oil and gas pipeline that would stretch from Israel and Cyprus to Greece and Italy.

With Article 5 a complete non-starter, Turkey is also putting heavy pressure on the EU, using refugees as the bait. Hundreds of Syrian refugees are being cut loose from Turkey, where they are sheltered, and are heading toward Greece and Bulgaria. The Turkish government has ordered its coastguard and border security officials to stand aside and permit the refugees to leave Turkish territory. The Bulgarians have already moved 1,000 soldiers to its border to block refugee transit.

The Turks think that by threatening Europe with another wave of Syrian refugees, the Europeans will turn around and back Turkey’s struggle in Syria, which is primarily focused on the Kurds. That “struggle” has metastasized into a struggle against the Syrian army and Russia, although Russia is proclaiming its innocence, saying its air force did not attack Turkish troops or command posts in Syrian territory.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan have spoken but not resolved the matter. Russia insists that Turkey violated deconfliction agreements in place between the two countries and is responsible for what happened to its troops. Russia also says that the attack on Turkish troops was by Syrian artillery, not Russian aircraft.

Delicate position

The United States is in a delicate position. While the US would not mind seeing Russia and Turkey at loggerheads, Washington has zero interest in being drawn into a conflict that could become a clash between the Russian air force and navy against the US and Turkey. That would quickly become a general war, and while the US may have some hope of checkmating the Russians, the price would be very high and the conflict with Russia could easily get out of hand and spread to Eastern Europe.

These days the US and NATO are in a very weak military position vis-à-vis the Russians, and any such conflict could shatter the NATO alliance. Europe depends on Russia for energy and probably would walk away rather than get caught up in a conflict on its eastern flank. For the same reason the Europeans don’t want a conflict in the eastern Mediterranean. Meanwhile, the Russians have moved two advanced guided missile warships, the Admiral Grigorovich and the Admiral Makarov into the eastern Mediterranean, having transited the Bosporus.

Turkey, which controls the straits under the Montreaux Convention, did not attempt to block the Russian warship transit. The Makarov and Grigorovich are equipped with Kalibr cruise missiles, a distinct threat to Turkish forces. The Russian Kalibr may have a range of 4,500 km and has an accuracy of around 3 meters, making it a potentially formidable weapon against Turkish ground forces, but also a threat against US and allied warships and US and NATO bases in Turkey.

The Russians say that while the Turks asked for direct contact between Erdogan and Putin, which took place by telephone, the two leaders might meet soon. Increasingly, Russian interests are diverging from Turkey, although Putin has tried to play the Turkish card, selling the S-400 air defense system to Turkey over strenuous US and NATO objections, and reportedly is discussing with the Turks sales of its advanced warplane technology, probably Su-57 coproduction in Turkey.

Undermining NATO

Because the Turkish relationship is important to Russia economically and as a way of undermining NATO, Putin will no doubt try and find some grounds for reconciliation with Erdogan.

But Russia won’t agree that Syria forego its effort to retake its own territory, so the two sides will have to find a creative solution, something the Turkish style of intervention and diplomacy is unaccustomed to doing. That’s one of the prime reasons the Turkish occupation of Northern Cyprus has continued since Turkey’s invasion in 1974. Probably the best that can be achieved in Syria is a temporary standstill.

What is certainly true is that NATO and the US have almost no leverage over the Turks or Russia, meaning the game mostly falls on the shoulders of Erdogan and Putin either to resolve the matter or to continue clashing in an evolving and dangerous environment

Great analysis.

Appleyard:


Turkey patrolling its borders inside Syria? What a Joke .

Turkish forces in Syria is an invading force and everyone knows that. Idlip isn't even a border town with Turkey, so your excuses doesn't hold water. The Turkish soldiers killed late Thursday were in covert operations in observatory posts aiding and abetting the targeting of Russian and Syrian planes. It was in same area that Russia lost a plane two weeks ago. So the Syrians with the full blessings and capabilities of the Russians simply bombed them to send Ankara a strong covert warning: "down any of our planes again, and we will kick your ass straight to hell."

As we speak, two Russian frigates with cruise missiles have already crossed the Bosphorous heading to the Mediterranean sea (Kalibr in heat stage ). Believe me, those cruise missiles won't be picking out 'moderate rebels' by the time they start to rain. Ankara got the message very clear, hence their rush to consult with NATO. .

They protecting there borders inside Syria because attack is the best form of defense. That's also mean protecting EU. Now about Russia. Pls before you respond. Why would Putin call erdogan and plead not to respond. Why would he Ask for meeting. Do you also know all this war is about oil. Now Russia decided to abandoned there Ukrainian pipeline the new pipeline will runs thru turkey. And turkey av the advantage of new boyfriend and jealous ex boyfriend against EU and Russia.... So u think Russia will let's this escalate. Nah I don't think so, because NATO will use that for there advantage

tsephanyah:
seriously! Like seriously the Turks are afraid of Syria... Russians are afraid because if things got real NATO will fight the war beside turkey. So the Russians will kiss goodbye for their big dreams into the Mediterranean, turkstream gas pipeline, ETC Putin literally call erdogan not to escalate and schedule a meeting on 5 March... Because this wrong calculation might caused him to lose again to the Americans and EU

What a babel! I can't help but laugh each time folks like you brings up the NATO card vis-à-vis Russia.

When Russia is involved, article 5 only exist on paper. You can take that to the bank.

You think the leaders of the nations making up NATO are as daft, arrogant and stupid as Erdogan?

You invade another man's land and want your friends to help you out when things starts turning sour for you in there?

You think Russia is Afghanistan, Iraq, or Libya? If push comes to shove, Russia will bomb the chicken from Turkey in Syria and NATO will just complain and do Nada.

Its laughable to even think that NATO would go to war with Russia in Syria because of Erdogan.

Tell me, who will fight the fight, is it France, Italy, Greece, Hungary, Germany? If only you understand the deep hatred these nations harbors towards Turkey under Erdogan, you wouldn't have mentioned NATO at all.

Besides, article 5 of NATO has nothing to do with Turkey in Syria. So bringing up NATO make no sense.

Yes, economically, Russia would love to keep things going with Turkey, but if you think Russia would acquiesce or be on the begging side as much as Syria is concerned, you seriously have to think again.

Russia has sacrificed so much for Syria that she won't hesitate to do the needful to ensure the Syrian regime stays put. Erdogan should have known this back in 2015 when they shot down a Russian jet and the Russians retaliation that follows, barring all Turkish aerial operations into Syria and damning the Turkstream deal and such other economic ties witj Ankara by imposing economic sanctions. Russia don't give a dime about any pipeline with Turkey because Syria is too great a price to lose.

Turkey saw that it needs Erdogan to achieve its goals in the greater East and beyond, and so quickly decided to ditch the F35 program and opt for the Russian S400 defense system as a way to mend ties with Russia, all to the ire of NATO. Same NATO you believe would be rolling out the guns to fight alongside Turkey in Syria.

I just dey laf.

If you want to understand Russian resolve, try Syria (like Ukraine) and you would understand.

The US tried it many times and understood that Syria is a no compromised Russian redline, that is why Obama was so careful during his time, and even a more daring Trump now wants to leave the place completely. Its same reason that Netayaho hasn't stopped traveling to Moscow to seek Russia's passive cooperation in its target of Iranian weapon shipments to Hezbollah.

It is only an idiot like Erdogan who thinks he can corner Russia over Syria.

The Russian upper legislative house just made it clear that if Turkey tries any stupid thing in Syria, she would run off with her tail in between her legs.

The message is clear already.

Appleyard:


What a babel! I can't help but laugh each time folks like you brings up the NATO card vis-à-vis Russia.

When Russia is involved, article 5 only exist on paper. You can take that to the bank.

You think the leaders of the nations making up NATO are as daft, arrogant and stupid as Erdogan?

You invade another man's land and want your friends to help you out when things starts turning sour for you in there?

You think Russia is Afghanistan, Iraq, or Libya? If push comes to shove, Russia will bomb the chicken from Turkey in Syria and NATO will just complain and do Nada.

Its laughable to even think that NATO would go to war with Russia in Syria because of Erdogan.

Tell me, who will fight the fight, is it France, Italy, Greece, Hungary, Germany? If only you understand the deep hatred these nations harbors towards Turkey under Erdogan, you wouldn't have mentioned NATO at all.

Besides, article 5 of NATO has nothing to do with Turkey in Syria. So bringing up NATO make no sense.

Yes, economically, Russia would love to keep things going with Turkey, but if you think Russia would acquiesce or be on the begging side as much as Syria is concerned, you seriously have to think again.

Russia has sacrificed so much for Syria that she won't hesitate to do the needful to ensure the Syrian regime stays put. Erdogan should have known this back in 2015 when they shot down a Russian jet and the Russians retaliation that follows, barring all Turkish aerial operations into Syria and damning the Turkstream deal and such other economic ties witj Ankara by imposing economic sanctions. Russia don't give a dime about any pipeline with Turkey because Syria is too great a price to lose.

Turkey saw that it needs Erdogan to achieve its goals in the greater East and beyond, and so quickly decided to ditch the F35 program and opt for the Russian S400 defense system as a way to mend ties with Russia, all to the ire of NATO. Same NATO you believe would be rolling out the guns to fight alongside Turkey in Syria.

I just dey laf.

If you want to understand Russian resolve, try Syria (like Ukraine) and you would understand.

The US tried it many times and understood that Syria is a no compromised Russian redline, that is why Obama was so careful during his time, and even a more daring Trump now wants to leave the place completely. Its same reason that Netayaho hasn't stopped traveling to Moscow to seek Russia's passive cooperation in its target of Iranian weapon shipments to Hezbollah.

It is only an idiot like Erdogan who thinks he can corner Russia over Syria.

The Russian upper legislative house just made it clear that if Turkey tries any stupid thing in Syria, she would run off with her tail in between her legs.

The message is clear already.

Russia has no appetite for a military confrontation with Turkey in Idlib, but the Kremlin won’t step back from its support for the Syrian regime’s campaign to regain control of the province. I got that. But Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Vladimir Putin of Russia were quick to hold telephone talks and plan a summit as soon as next week in Moscow, with Russian officials striking a conciliatory tone.
The two men — both leading post-imperial societies they took over in the wake of economic crises — have since 2016 forged a relationship that has riled the West and will be wary of undermining it for now.

“Russia is definitely not looking for a full-scale military confrontation with Turkey, nor is Turkey interested in confronting Moscow over Idlib,” said Igor Delanoe, deputy director of the Franco-Russian Observatory in Moscow.
Russia has built the TurkStream gas pipeline across the Black Sea, is constructing Turkey’s first nuclear power plant and above all has delivered an S-400 air defense system in a move that horrified NATO, of which Turkey is a key member. Russia’s “long-term strategy” for Syria had not changed but it was keen not to antagonize Turkey, especially given the closeness of economic and energy ties as well as the cooperation on the S-400s.
There were fears of military confrontation in November 2015 when Turkey shot down a Russian warplane over Syria. But a reconciliation deal was clinched in 2016 and Putin rapidly backed Erdogan when he faced a coup bid that summer.
Even the assassination of Russia’s ambassador to Ankara in December 2016 by an off-duty police officer did not derail the intensification of ties as both sides began a joint effort to bring peace to Syria. Russia will not escalate this. And they will let erdogan to have his revenge, and lobby him not to escalate because America will exploit it when they both went to War

tsephanyah:
They protecting there borders inside Syria because attack is the best form of defense. That's also mean protecting EU. Now about Russia. Pls before you respond. Why would Putin call erdogan and plead not to respond. Why would he Ask for meeting. Do you also know all this war is about oil. Now Russia decided to abandoned there Ukrainian pipeline the new pipeline will runs thru turkey. And turkey av the advantage of new boyfriend and jealous ex boyfriend against EU and Russia.... So u think Russia will let's this escalate. Nah I don't think so, because NATO will use that for there advantage

If the best form of defense is to attack, then be ready to suffer counter attack because nobody would be coming to help you out, not when it involved a nuclear and much more stronger power.

Stop making it look as if the EU makes Erdogan a sheriff that protects Europe from terrorist. If Turkey hasn't invaded the Kurds deep into Syria, the situation would have been much more different. Beside, Turkey failed to keep it side of the Sochi agreement per Idlib, am now that he is suffering the consequences, he isvteying to blackmail the EU with more refugees.

The EU would only give a listening ear is because of the influx of more refugees, otherwise, no one is sympathetic to erdogans cry in Syria.

I hate it when you say Russia called Erdogan to beg. Where you there when they made the call? The news said there was an exchange of calls between the two leaders and that agreed to meet soon. Nowhere did it says Russia begged Turkey to not escalate. Rather, the reverse is the case. The Russian Upper Legislative House is threatening Turkey. No one oa begging Erdogan.

Yes, its all about oil and pipeline politics, and Russia is a master in this game. Both parties, including Turkey and the EU and Russia wuould be the ones to lose if things get worse. Only the US would be the winner here, but the EU won't let that happen because they're haplessly dependent on Russian oil. So its a real game of geopolitics which the Russians are very good at. 0

Appleyard:


If the best form of defense is to attack, then be ready to suffer counter attack because nobody would be coming to help you out, not when it involved a nuclear and much more stronger power.

Stop making it look as if the EU makes Erdogan a sheriff that protects Europe from terrorist. If Turkey hasn't invaded the Kurds deep into Syria, the situation would have been much more different. Beside, Turkey failed to keep it side of the Sochi agreement per Idlib, am now that he is suffering the consequences, he isvteying to blackmail the EU with more refugees.

The EU would only give a listening ear is because of the influx of more refugees, otherwise, no one is sympathetic to erdogans cry in Syria.

I hate it when you say Russia called Erdogan to beg. Where you there when they made the call? The news said there was an exchange of calls between the two leaders and that agreed to meet soon. Nowhere did it says Russia begged Turkey to not escalate. Rather, the reverse is the case. The Russian Upper Legislative House is threatening Turkey. No one oa begging Erdogan.

Yes, its all about oil and pipeline politics, and Russia is a master in this game. Both parties, including Turkey and the EU and Russia wuould be the ones to lose if things get worse. Only the US would be the winner here, but the EU won't let that happen because they're haplessly dependent on Russian oil. So its a real game of geopolitics which the Russians are very good at. 0

now we're on the same page

Why is Everybody in Syria?
What the hell are you doing there? I didn't even hear about the Americans it has been long since I hear about them

Mightymanna:
Why is Everybody in Syria?
What the hell are you doing there? I didn't even hear about the Americans it has been long since I hear about them

Russia and Iran are the only legitimate external forces in Syria the rest are thieves.

tsephanyah:
Misleading headline.... Actually Syria was afraid and asking Russia to intervene because they said is mistake.. Putin will meet erdogan on match 5 to plead with the Turks. You just copied new York times article, change the headline and post it on nairaland... So what's your gain here.

Stop constituting nuisance all over Nairaland & desist from spreading fake news.

You have become an object of ridicule on Nairaland's frontpage for some days now (reeling out fake statistics & making senseless comments), and rather than taking a break out of shame, you're now back to the foreign affairs section. You should go back to the Politics Section and focus on your "BMC Job" of brainwashing Nairalanders with your AsoRock-induced fake news & comments. It's the guys giving you attention here that I blame.

Now, back to the topic.

Putin is NOT meeting Erdogan on March 5.

Russian President Vladimir Putin currently has no plans to pay a visit to Istanbul on 5 March and hold talks with his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday.

“Putin’s plans do not currently include such a meeting”, Peskov told reporters. “The president has other working plans for 5 March,” the Kremlin spokesman added, when asked whether Putin planned to travel to Istanbul on 5 March at all.”

https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/202002271078418016-putin-not-currently-planning-talks-with-erdogan-in-istanbul-on-5-march---kremlin/

Bashar Assad is not scared of anybody. He has two "Geopolitically Allies" for the UN issues – Russia and China.

On the ground, he has Hezbollah and Iran’s militias to assist with the ground attacks.

In the air, he has Russia.

Who is with Erdogan? NOBODY! His NATO counterparts are all fed-up with him (especially Germany & France) for threatening them to releasing the floodgate of refugees into Europe.

His only saviour & hope is Putin.

We all remember Turkey’s downing of the Russian Sukhoi Su-24M in November 2015. Putin at the time described Turkey as “accomplices of terrorists”.

Putin then went ahead to save his filthy hairy-asshole by informing him ahead when Amerika wanted him dead during the coup orchestrated against him.

However, the gratitude for that butt-saving gesture was short lived as Erdogan is an unrepentant terrorist.

If not that he's crazy, how could he arrogantly insist that Syrian troops should retreat from the Syrian soil?

The aspiring Sultan - "Terrorist Erdogan" wanted to play off Russia against Amerika by first buying the S-400 intended for use against Amerika & Greece (since the S-400 will not work against Russia & Syria because Russia will disable it) and now, he's requesting for the Amerikan Patriot intended for use against Russia & Syria - but the snakes in Amerika saw through his gimmicks.

I have always known that Erdogan is a two-faced backstabbing bastard, hence the reason I was so mad when Putin sold him the S-400.

I was particularly mad because Putin underrated his trustworthy allies like Syria & Iran by selling them the S-300 while selling the more sophisticated S-400 to Turkey & Satan Arabia (yet to be delivered).

The Bastard (Erdogan) also lost 7-10 men in Libya few days ago. He’s getting his butt kicked in two wars.

His economy will crash completely this time around if the Russians stop importing tomatoes and refuse sending over a million tourists to Turkey every year.

Amerika on the other hand is only waiting for an opportunity to kill the Sultan & replace him with a subservient Turkish dundee.

Zoharariel:


Stop constituting nuisance all over Nairaland & desist from spreading fake news.

You have become an object of ridicule on Nairaland's frontpage for some days now (reeling out fake statistics & making senseless comments), and rather than taking a break out of shame, you're now back to the foreign affairs section. You should go back to the Politics Section and focus on your "BMC Job" of brainwashing Nairalanders with your AsoRock-induced fake news & comments. It's the guys giving you attention here that I blame.

Now, back to the topic.

Putin is NOT meeting Erdogan on March 5.

Russian President Vladimir Putin currently has no plans to pay a visit to Istanbul on 5 March and hold talks with his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday.

“Putin’s plans do not currently include such a meeting”, Peskov told reporters. “The president has other working plans for 5 March,” the Kremlin spokesman added, when asked whether Putin planned to travel to Istanbul on 5 March at all.”

https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/202002271078418016-putin-not-currently-planning-talks-with-erdogan-in-istanbul-on-5-march---kremlin/

Bashar Assad is not scared of anybody. He has two "Geopolitically Allies" for the UN issues – Russia and China.

On the ground, he has Hezbollah and Iran’s militias to assist with the ground attacks.

In the air, he has Russia.

Who is with Erdogan? NOBODY! His NATO counterparts are all fed-up with him (especially Germany & France) for threatening them to releasing the floodgate of refugees into Europe.

His only saviour & hope is Putin.

We all remember Turkey’s downing of the Russian Sukhoi Su-24M in November 2015. Putin at the time described Turkey as “accomplices of terrorists”.

Putin then went ahead to save his filthy hairy-asshole by informing him ahead when Amerika wanted him dead during the coup orchestrated against him.

However, the gratitude for that butt-saving gesture was short lived as Erdogan is an unrepentant terrorist.

If not that he's crazy, how could he arrogantly insist that Syrian troops should retreat from the Syrian soil?

The aspiring Sultan - "Terrorist Erdogan" wanted to play off Russia against Amerika by first buying the S-400 intended for use against Amerika & Greece (since the S-400 will not work against Russia & Syria because Russia will disable it) and now, he's requesting for the Amerikan Patriot intended for use against Russia & Syria - but the snakes in Amerika saw through his gimmicks.

I have always known that Erdogan is a two-faced backstabbing bastard, hence the reason I was so mad when Putin sold him the S-400.

I was particularly mad because Putin underrated his trustworthy allies like Syria & Iran by selling them the S-300 while selling the more sophisticated S-400 to Turkey & Satan Arabia (yet to be delivered).

The Bastard (Erdogan) also lost 7-10 men in Libya few days ago. He’s getting his butt kicked in two wars.

His economy will crash completely this time around if the Russians stop importing tomatoes and refuse sending over a million tourists to Turkey every year.

Amerika on the other hand is only waiting for an opportunity to kill the Sultan & replace him with a subservient Turkish dundee.

you are emotional in your first statement about Aso rock politics, BMC, front-page, Attention, blah blah. So I will not entertain that... About the meeting it was scheduled again yesterday. You googled and pick the news that said no meeting which is day before yesterday. Just to mislead and show like you know what you are doing, actually you don't. Did I ever insult you when we started this conversation. You are suffering from mental illness, that I'm sure of it. Anyways wish you quick recovery. Here is the current news which you refused to pick https://www.aa.com.tr/en/turkey/erdogan-putin-agree-to-meet-face-to-face-turkish-official/1748687

tsephanyah:
Russia has no appetite for a military confrontation with Turkey in Idlib, but the Kremlin won’t step back from its support for the Syrian regime’s campaign to regain control of the province. I got that. But Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Vladimir Putin of Russia were quick to hold telephone talks and plan a summit as soon as next week in Moscow, with Russian officials striking a conciliatory tone.
The two men — both leading post-imperial societies they took over in the wake of economic crises — have since 2016 forged a relationship that has riled the West and will be wary of undermining it for now.

“Russia is definitely not looking for a full-scale military confrontation with Turkey, nor is Turkey interested in confronting Moscow over Idlib,” said Igor Delanoe, deputy director of the Franco-Russian Observatory in Moscow.
Russia has built the TurkStream gas pipeline across the Black Sea, is constructing Turkey’s first nuclear power plant and above all has delivered an S-400 air defense system in a move that horrified NATO, of which Turkey is a key member. Russia’s “long-term strategy” for Syria had not changed but it was keen not to antagonize Turkey, especially given the closeness of economic and energy ties as well as the cooperation on the S-400s.
There were fears of military confrontation in November 2015 when Turkey shot down a Russian warplane over Syria. But a reconciliation deal was clinched in 2016 and Putin rapidly backed Erdogan when he faced a coup bid that summer.
Even the assassination of Russia’s ambassador to Ankara in December 2016 by an off-duty police officer did not derail the intensification of ties as both sides began a joint effort to bring peace to Syria. Russia will not escalate this. And they will let erdogan to have his revenge, and lobby him not to escalate because America will exploit it when they both went to War

Russia was never looking to escalate this because it doesn't make any sense. They will try as much as possible to avoid a full military showdown with Turkey, and that's what the conciliatory tone represents. After all, the recent killing of Turkish forces wasn't an overt act by the Russians, but an obvious show by the Syrians as supported by the Russians. Notwithstanding, if Turkey thinks it can just have its way in Idlib because of some economic ties with Russia, then I'm afraid they will be met with a disappointing reality. History should teach Erdogan that Russia does not sell its national interest for pieces of economic gain. The situation in Ukraine should be a warnng sign to Ankara.

Zoharariel:


Stop constituting nuisance all over Nairaland & desist from spreading fake news.

You have become an object of ridicule on Nairaland's frontpage for some days now (reeling out fake statistics & making senseless comments), and rather than taking a break out of shame, you're now back to the foreign affairs section. You should go back to the Politics Section and focus on your "BMC Job" of brainwashing Nairalanders with your AsoRock-induced fake news & comments. It's the guys giving you attention here that I blame.

Now, back to the topic.

Putin is NOT meeting Erdogan on March 5.

Russian President Vladimir Putin currently has no plans to pay a visit to Istanbul on 5 March and hold talks with his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday.

“Putin’s plans do not currently include such a meeting”, Peskov told reporters. “The president has other working plans for 5 March,” the Kremlin spokesman added, when asked whether Putin planned to travel to Istanbul on 5 March at all.”

https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/202002271078418016-putin-not-currently-planning-talks-with-erdogan-in-istanbul-on-5-march---kremlin/

Bashar Assad is not scared of anybody. He has two "Geopolitically Allies" for the UN issues – Russia and China.

On the ground, he has Hezbollah and Iran’s militias to assist with the ground attacks.

In the air, he has Russia.

Who is with Erdogan? NOBODY! His NATO counterparts are all fed-up with him (especially Germany & France) for threatening them to releasing the floodgate of refugees into Europe.

His only saviour & hope is Putin.

We all remember Turkey’s downing of the Russian Sukhoi Su-24M in November 2015. Putin at the time described Turkey as “accomplices of terrorists”.

Putin then went ahead to save his filthy hairy-asshole by informing him ahead when Amerika wanted him dead during the coup orchestrated against him.

However, the gratitude for that butt-saving gesture was short lived as Erdogan is an unrepentant terrorist.

If not that he's crazy, how could he arrogantly insist that Syrian troops should retreat from the Syrian soil?

The aspiring Sultan - "Terrorist Erdogan" wanted to play off Russia against Amerika by first buying the S-400 intended for use against Amerika & Greece (since the S-400 will not work against Russia & Syria because Russia will disable it) and now, he's requesting for the Amerikan Patriot intended for use against Russia & Syria - but the snakes in Amerika saw through his gimmicks.

I have always known that Erdogan is a two-faced backstabbing bastard, hence the reason I was so mad when Putin sold him the S-400.

I was particularly mad because Putin underrated his trustworthy allies like Syria & Iran by selling them the S-300 while selling the more sophisticated S-400 to Turkey & Satan Arabia (yet to be delivered).

The Bastard (Erdogan) also lost 7-10 men in Libya few days ago. He’s getting his butt kicked in two wars.

His economy will crash completely this time around if the Russians stop importing tomatoes and refuse sending over a million tourists to Turkey every year.

Amerika on the other hand is only waiting for an opportunity to kill the Sultan & replace him with a subservient Turkish dundee.

You are very spot on. The point that really certifies Erdogan as a crazy idiot was when he asked that Syrian forces shouldn't enter Idlib. Imagine the stupid effrontery. He is already losing popularity in turkey, and as more and more body bags start returning home, a revolution would soon happen and the crazy terrorist sympathizer sultan would be shown the way out. The man is simply crazy.

Zoharariel:


Stop constituting nuisance all over Nairaland & desist from spreading fake news.

You have become an object of ridicule on Nairaland's frontpage for some days now (reeling out fake statistics & making senseless comments), and rather than taking a break out of shame, you're now back to the foreign affairs section. You should go back to the Politics Section and focus on your "BMC Job" of brainwashing Nairalanders with your AsoRock-induced fake news & comments. It's the guys giving you attention here that I blame.

Now, back to the topic.

Putin is NOT meeting Erdogan on March 5.

Russian President Vladimir Putin currently has no plans to pay a visit to Istanbul on 5 March and hold talks with his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday.

“Putin’s plans do not currently include such a meeting”, Peskov told reporters. “The president has other working plans for 5 March,” the Kremlin spokesman added, when asked whether Putin planned to travel to Istanbul on 5 March at all.”

https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/202002271078418016-putin-not-currently-planning-talks-with-erdogan-in-istanbul-on-5-march---kremlin/

Bashar Assad is not scared of anybody. He has two "Geopolitically Allies" for the UN issues – Russia and China.

On the ground, he has Hezbollah and Iran’s militias to assist with the ground attacks.

In the air, he has Russia.

Who is with Erdogan? NOBODY! His NATO counterparts are all fed-up with him (especially Germany & France) for threatening them to releasing the floodgate of refugees into Europe.

His only saviour & hope is Putin.

We all remember Turkey’s downing of the Russian Sukhoi Su-24M in November 2015. Putin at the time described Turkey as “accomplices of terrorists”.

Putin then went ahead to save his filthy hairy-asshole by informing him ahead when Amerika wanted him dead during the coup orchestrated against him.

However, the gratitude for that butt-saving gesture was short lived as Erdogan is an unrepentant terrorist.

If not that he's crazy, how could he arrogantly insist that Syrian troops should retreat from the Syrian soil?

The aspiring Sultan - "Terrorist Erdogan" wanted to play off Russia against Amerika by first buying the S-400 intended for use against Amerika & Greece (since the S-400 will not work against Russia & Syria because Russia will disable it) and now, he's requesting for the Amerikan Patriot intended for use against Russia & Syria - but the snakes in Amerika saw through his gimmicks.

I have always known that Erdogan is a two-faced backstabbing bastard, hence the reason I was so mad when Putin sold him the S-400.

I was particularly mad because Putin underrated his trustworthy allies like Syria & Iran by selling them the S-300 while selling the more sophisticated S-400 to Turkey & Satan Arabia (yet to be delivered).

The Bastard (Erdogan) also lost 7-10 men in Libya few days ago. He’s getting his butt kicked in two wars.

His economy will crash completely this time around if the Russians stop importing tomatoes and refuse sending over a million tourists to Turkey every year.

Amerika on the other hand is only waiting for an opportunity to kill the Sultan & replace him with a subservient Turkish dundee.

Very apt. That Emir of Turkey(Erdogan )is a complete mad man

erdogan is at the mercy of Russia..
buh am still baffled where was NATO when turkey annexed idlib...
where was NATO when turkey was arming terrorists to fight in Syria ..
where was NATO when US was doing the same shi.t..
erdogan cup don full now he's using immigrants to threaten Europe Greece has locked it's doors already..
let turkey wallow in their dirt
trash