Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Oncu Keceli stated, “We are closely monitoring the increase in attacks by terrorist groups in Tal Rifaat and Manbij, targeting civilians and Türkiye, as they attempt to exploit the current instability. The failure to implement agreements previously reached with stakeholders regarding the elimination of terrorist presence in these regions has raised our concerns.”
Keceli made this statement via his X social media account while commenting on the recent developments in Idlib and surrounding areas.
“Maintaining calm in Idlib and the adjacent region, which is at the zero point of our border, is a priority for Türkiye,” ministry spokesperson Keceli said.
Mentioning that several agreements have been achieved on the de-escalation zone of Idlib since 2017, Keceli said Ankara “diligently” fulfills the requirements of all agreements to which it is a party.
The remarks come after armed groups opposed to the Syrian regime of Bashar al-Assad are said to have broken through to the city center of Aleppo, taking control 400 square kilometers (154 square miles) of territory. According to sources, they have also entered the strategically important town of Saraqib in Idlib.
‘Attacks on Idlib undermine Astana agreements’
“We have warned on various international platforms that the recent attacks on Idlib have reached a level that undermines the spirit and implementation of the Astana agreements and that there have been large civilian casualties,” said Keceli.
“We have emphasized that these attacks must come to an end. In fact, the recent clashes have resulted in an undesirable escalation of tensions in the region,” he added.
Keceli pointed out that the recent clashes have caused unwanted escalations in the region, stressing that preventing new and larger instabilities and ensuring the protection of civilians is of great importance to Türkiye.
He added, “We are closely observing the rise in attacks by terrorist groups in Tal Rifaat and Manbij, targeting civilians and Türkiye, as they attempt to exploit the current instability. The failure to implement agreements previously reached with stakeholders regarding the elimination of terrorist presence in these regions has raised our concerns.”
Keceli reaffirmed that Türkiye is following the developments very closely, emphasizing its commitment to Syria’s unity, territorial integrity, and the priority of combating terrorism.
