US President Donald Trump has thanked Russia, Iran and Syria for slowing down their offensive targeting Idlib province while also expressing thanks to Turkey for helping to negotiate restraint, the Hürriyet Daily News reported.
Trump said on Wednesday at the United Nations Security Council that the “Syrian regime’s butchery is enabled by Russia and Iran” during a session devoted to discussing the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction before switching to a more positive note.
“I want to thank Iran, Russia and Syria for — at my very strong urgent and request — substantially slowing down their attack on Idlib province and three million people who live there in order to get 35,000 targeted terrorists. Get the terrorists but I hope the restraint continues. The world is watching,” he said.
“Thank you also to Turkey for helping to negotiate restraint. Anything the USA can do to help resolve this problem in order to save perhaps even hundreds of thousands of lives, maybe more, we are willing and able. We are available to help,” Trump added.
Turkey exerted efforts to prevent the Idlib offensive in order to avoid civilian casualties and eventually agreed with Russia to create a demilitarized zone inside the area and to convince rebel groups to disarm by Oct. 15.