Sources: AA, Presidency. Photo: AA
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Turkey is looking for a way it can use the region's airspace over Idlib, Syria, President and Justice and Development Party (AKP) Chair Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said.
"Our biggest problem is that we could not use the airspace [over Idlib]. Hopefully, we will figure out something soon for this," Erdoğan told his party's parliamentary group.
Erdoğan warned the forces of President Bashar al-Assad, whom he called "not a man," to retreat before the end of February.
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"We will definitely take the regime out of the borders which we have defined before," Erdoğan said, adding that Turkey will nor retreat from Idlib and will "liberate" its observation posts surrounded by the government forces.
In addition to the 12 military posts it set up in northwestern Syria under deals with Russia and Iran, Turkey has recently set up around 20 posts amid the advance of the government forces.
Forces loyal to the Damascus government, backed by Russia and Iran, have captured large areas from the Turkey-backed armed groups since December.
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"We make every effort, including effective intervention on the ground, to prevent a humanitarian crisis in Idlib. Turkey, which currently hosts 3.7 million Syrians, will not accept in silence a new migration wave of over 1 million people towards its borders," Erdoğan said.
The 'sectarian extremists'
"We want the regime to put an immediate end to its attacks and withdraw to the boundaries outlined in the Sochi Memorandum, back behind our observation posts. Thus, we will be able to ensure that the masses, who are moving towards our borders, will return to their homes.
"It is now undeniably evident that what the regime contemplates is not to save its lands but to destroy its own people and abandon the area to sectarian extremists, most of whom have been brought from abroad."
'We have reinforced our military presence in Idlib'
"Those, who actually seek to save their lands, freedoms and future, are the groups that act together with our country. Their opposition is to the Assad regime, and their affection is towards their homeland and people.
"We have reinforced our military presence in Idlib both to ensure the security of our soldiers at the observation posts and checkpoints and to protect the people against the oppression of the Assad regime. The biggest challenge we are faced with at the time being is that we cannot use the air space. We will inshallah deal with this issue shortly."
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'We will not take any backstep'
"Let me remind those, who assume they can make Turkey accept anything they like by cornering it, of a characteristic of this region. This region has swallowed up in an instance like a whirlwind many riding the high horse. In this region, we are the host, not the visitor.
"Therefore, we will not take any backstep in Idlib, will definitely push the regime out of the boundaries we have determined and will ensure that people will return to their homes. As Turkey, we are determined on this issue and accept all kinds of self-sacrifice." (TP/VK)
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