After the deadly military clashes between Turkey and Syria in the last few days, the UN has called for an urgent meeting on Thursday, amid tensions between Ankara and Moscow.
The decision to call for ceasefire comes after the Syrian military forces attacked the Turkish forces deployed along its border that killed eight Turkish military personnel, on Monday. The Turkish military forces, in retaliation, have reportedly attacked 50 targets housing the Syrian troops.
The Syrian government, backed by Russia, has been involved in deadly conflict with the rebel groups, since last April. The Syrian government’s confrontation with the rebels have uprooted over 520,000 civilians and claimed thousands of lives. The Syrian forces get the air support from Russia while Turkey, allegedly, backs the rebel groups in Idlib who have, in the past, attempted to topple President Assad’s government.
President Erdogan’s Parliament in Ankara had approved for the deployment of its military forces heavily along its border with Syria, last month. The Syrian forces have increased shelling and severely pushed for attacks in the past weeks, leading to a mass exodus and refugee crisis along its borders.
Turkey’s Erdogan has warned Syrian forces to retreat behind the Turkish military posts and urged Russia to ‘stand aside’ and to resolve their issues without anger. The conflict between Syrian and Turkish forces threaten to put a dent on the, otherwise, close ties between Ankara and Moscow.
Turkey and Russia support the opposing sides in Libya as well where the arms embargo has been enforced after the UN called a meeting in Berlin for the peace summit, last month.
