Turkish Military Hit From Air as It Pours in Reinforcements to Obstruct Syrian-Russian Offensive
Syrian army has enveloped Khan Shaykhoun and cut a key highway above it
Syrian army continues to make good progress in its Idlib offensive. It has envoloped the town of Khan Shaykhoun — on of the five largest still under rebel control — from the north, cut the M5 highway above it, and captured the first buildings on its western edges.
This complicates the situation of the southernmost Turkish army outpost in Syria, on the rebel-government front line, as it may find itself cut off and in a cauldron together with the jihadis. However, rather than retreat Turkey has instead spent the day pouring in reinforcements in at least three seperate convoys.
On at least two occassions the Syrian air force struck at the invading Turks. Turkey protested the air strikes and claims they killed “3 civilians” but Syrian outlets says the convoy was a mixed Turkish-rebel column. This seems likely as the non-HTS (al-Qaeda) rebels in Idlib are directly backed by Turkey, and Turkish convoys to Syria outposts are regularly coordinated with the rebel checkpoints or travel with rebel escorts.
Hurriyet Daily News (Pro-Turkish):
Turkey “strongly” condemned an air strike on its military convoy heading through Syria’s Idlib province on Aug. 19. Defense officials said that the attack was undertaken by the “regime forces” and was a violation of agreements with Russia.
“Despite repeated warnings we made to the authorities of the Russian Federation, the military operations by the regime forces continue in Idlib region in violation of the existing memorandums and agreements with the Russian Federation,” the Turkish Defense Ministry said in a statement, adding that Russia had been told in advance about the convoy.
The ministry said “regime forces” were behind the attack, which it said had killed three civilians and wounded 12.
The Turkish convoy was attacked en route to one of its observation posts at 8.55 a.m., according to the ministry statement. Turkey has 12 observation posts in and on the edge of Idlib as part of an agreement reached with Russia.
The attack killed three civilians and wounded 12 others, according to the Defense Ministry.
“In the face of these ongoing operations in violation of all memorandums and agreements threatening the supply route to the Turkish Observation Point No. 9, a deployment of our forces was started on August 19, 2019 at 5.30 a.m. with advance information supplied to the Russian Federation, in order to keep the supply routes open, to ensure the safety of our observation post and to prevent further loss of civilian / innocent lives in the region,” it said.
“We strongly condemn this attack which contradicts the existing agreements, cooperation and dialogue with the Russian Federation. Without prejudice to our rights to self-defense, we expect the necessary measures to be taken to prevent recurrence of such incidents,” the ministry added.
Muraselon (Pro-Syrian):
The Syrian Air Force has carried out strikes against a Turkish convoy comprising both Turkish Army units and Turkish-backed militant groups in the southern countryside of Idlib province.
Muraselon News has learned that a Turkish Army convoy, accompanied by Ankara-backed insurgents, attempting to reach the city of Khan Sheykhun was engaged by the Syrian Air Force as it passed south from Marat al-Numan on the M5 Highway in south Idlib
Sources report that an unspecified number of militants from the Free Syrian Army’s Rahman Legion were caught in the strikes by Syrian warplanes and killed. It is unknown if Turkish service personnel were harmed.
The Turkish convoy is attempting to reach Khan Sheykhun in order to deter a Syrian Army offensive currently taking place for possession of the city. It is reported that Turkey plans to establish additional observation posts in and near the city, but this is not confirmed.
At the present time, the Syrian Air Force continues to conduct strikes against militant positions and movements along the M5 Highway between Murat al-Numan and Khan Sheykhun.
Turkish regime convoy comes to a halt after air strikes target its pathway towards Morek
Syrian Army now within 500 meters of the highway at #KhanSheikhoun axis. #GameOver pic.twitter.com/LMKIwtteCE
— The'Nimr'Tiger (@Souria4Syrians) August 19, 2019
#Syria regime warplanes targeted the Turkish military convoy for the second time in Heish village north Khan Sheikhoun in south #Idlib pic.twitter.com/Q36kwMK2cc
— Suhail AlGhazi (@putintintin1) August 19, 2019
https://twitter.com/AbdussamedTurki/status/1163360714582646784
https://twitter.com/AbdussamedTurki/status/1163360786623926273
Turkey is playing both sides and it needs to be taught a very good lesson. After the Russians sold them S400, you would think a backdoor deal was made from them to back away from Syria.
now the turks will think twice about their proposed “SAFE ZONE ” with USA further north of Syria … best they leave on their own accord before they are forced out as many US bases have been removed by the Syrian Arab Forces ..
weren’t the Turks going to settle all of this?
wasn’t that the original plan agreed upon with Syria and the Russians?
and now it’s a bit late, i would think.
big mouth, small frontal lobes.
Russia has delivered S-400s to Turkey and the Turks are looking at Su-35s fighter aircraft. What’s wrong with this picture amidst the Syrian conflict?
Good
hope the SAA blows the jihadis straight to paradise
ameen to that .. and the jihadist might find out that their promised 72 virgins in paradise were actually 72 sex hungry homosexed gorillas … that shall humped them for all eternity .. hahahahaha
I don’t trust Erdogan, he’s a perfidious, backstabbing, cretinous person. It’s not so long ago that Turkey was assisting ISIS in stealing and selling Syrian oil on the black market. I believe he hopes, eventually, to steal Idlib province and its rich oilfields but he’ll be sorely disappointed !. As for the Russian S-400, I may be wrong, but I presume Russia will still possess a “kill- switch”
Did the Turks happen to, oh I don’t know, sorta notice they were invading a country which had not attacked Turkey?
Illegally?
Thats what you do to invaders of your country, blow as many of their criminal butts up as possible, very single day, until they get the message, they are not wanted in the country.