Turkey has warned Russia not to get involved as it retaliates against Syrian government forces for killing four of its soldiers in northwest Syria on Monday, according to AFP.
“I want to especially tell the Russian authorities that our interlocuter here is not you but the [Syrian] regime, and do not stand in our way,” President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan told reporters.
A spokesperson from Erdoğan’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) also said Turkey would view Syrian government forces as “targets” around Turkish observation posts in Syria’s Idlib region, Reuters reported.
“The [Syrian] regime is from now on a target for us in the region after this attack. We expect Russia not to shield the regime or protect them because after the clear attack on our soldiers, regime forces around our posts are targets,” party spokesperson Ömer Çelik told broadcaster CNN Türk.
He added that the Syrian government was “acting like a terrorist organization” and that talks would be held with Russian officials, who support the Syrian government, on the situation in the Idlib region.