https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/t...aqeb-vqz30t85f
Turkey fires on Assad’s forces battling for key Syrian town of Saraqeb
Turkish artillery has fired on Syrian regime troops that are fighting jihadists and other rebels in northwest Syria as Ankara is sucked deeper into the last stages of the civil war.
A battle between Assad forces and rebels has been under way for two days in and around Saraqeb. The town, east of the city of Idlib, is an important point on the main highway from Aleppo to the south of Syria. Regime forces, backed by Russia, entered Saraqeb on Wednesday and their assault brought them close to a Turkish observation point. Turkish forces inside the compound, which was established to monitor the now failed ceasefire in Idlib province, hit regime positions with artillery. Rebels used the bombardment as cover for a counterattack, driving the army out of town.......
President Erdogan has strongly criticised the regime offensive in the “Idlib pocket”, which covers Idlib province and slivers of Latakia and Aleppo. He has demanded that President Putin, with whom he agreed the supposed ceasefire in 2018, restrain the regime. Instead Mr Putin has ordered Russian jets to support the offensive. Yesterday Russia admitted suffering fatalities among its ground troops. Iranian-backed militias including Hezbollah are also fighting on the regime side. The jihadists and other rebels are gradually being pushed back. West of Saraqeb, the regime forces are a little over five miles from Idlib, the last provincial capital in rebel hands........
On Tuesday Mr Erdogan gave the regime until the end of the month to withdraw. An exchange of fire the previous day had cost eight Turkish lives. However, Mr Erdogan appears to be preparing for further confrontation, with Turkish reinforcements said to be pouring into Idlib from over the border.........
Meanwhile Israeli airstrikes are hitting bases used by Iran, Assad’s other main ally.