Expand / Collapse search
Watch TV
Menu

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. ©2024 FOX News Network, LLC. All rights reserved. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Market data provided by Factset. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Legal Statement. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper.

Middle East

Turkey, Russia face conflicts over Syria's push into Idlib

Associated Press
Published | Updated
  • 3ebd931a-
    Image 1 of 2

    Raed Alsaleh, chairman of the Syrian Civil Defense volunteer rescue group, (White Helmets) talks during a media conference in Istanbul, Friday, May 31, 2019. The group and an alliance of non-governmental organisations have gathered in Istanbul to call attention to an escalation of violence in Idlib province in northwestern Syria. Salah said a catastrophic humanitarian crisis is imminent and the Syrian NGO Alliance appealed to the United Nations Security Council to stop the escalation. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis)

  • 1fb955e4-
    Image 2 of 2

    Raed Alsaleh, chairman of the Syrian Civil Defense volunteer rescue group, (White Helmets) gestures following a media conference in Istanbul, Friday, May 31, 2019. The group and an alliance of non-governmental organisations have gathered in Istanbul to call attention to an escalation of violence in Idlib province in northwestern Syria.Salah said a catastrophic humanitarian crisis is imminent and the Syrian NGO Alliance appealed to the United Nations Security Council to stop the escalation. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis)

ISTANBUL – Ankara and Moscow are again facing an escalation of violence in Syria's last rebel-held territory, a development that puts their cooperation to the test even as they support opposing sides in the eight-year war that has devastated Syria.

An all-out offensive by Syrian government forces to capture Idlib in northwestern Syria from insurgents could unleash an unprecedented humanitarian crisis, for the area is home to 3 million people.

Turkey, which is already hosting more than 3.6 million Syrian refugees, is facing strong pressure from Syria, Iran and Russia to deliver on its pledge to control the armed rebel factions in Idlib.

But Turkey also needs Russia to rein in Syrian President Bashar Assad to prevent a massive outflow of refugees and to keep Turkish soldiers on the ground safe.