Turkey announces major offensive against Syrian government forces

Turkey said Sunday it was pursuing a military operation called “Operation Spring Shield” in northwest Syria after the government forces killed 34 Turkish soldiers on Thursday.
The Syrian government said it will down any aircraft over northwest Syria after Turkish drone strikes killed dozens of pro-regime forces in the region. Syria’s government forces backed by Russia, have led since December a military offensive against the Idlib region, where Turkey supports the rebel groups.
“Syrian military high command announces the closure of the airspace for planes and any drone above northwestern Syria and especially above the Idlib region. Any aircraft breaching our airspace will be treated as enemy aircraft that needs to be downed and prevented from carrying out its goals”, a military source was quoted as saying.
According to Turkey’s defense minister Hulusi Akar, “Operation Spring Shield” aims to protect Syrians from massive and brutal attacks by the Syrian regime and installing a lasting ceasefire in the region. However, he did not say whether the Turkish army will advance towards the south to repel the Syrian army to the southern part of Idlib.
“Our main objectives are a lasting ceasefire and stability. But nobody should have a doubt that we will unwaveringly respond in the most aggressive way to any attack against our troops, observation posts and military deployments in the context of self-defense”, Akar said, stressing that Turkey has no intention or desire to face Russia in Syria.
Turkey’s president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin are expected to meet once again in the coming days in hopes for a compromise. Tensions between both sides have escalated after Turkey opened the borders to migrants heading for Europe. Analysts believe Turkey’s decision aims to force the EU and NATO to support its military operation in Idlib.