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Erdogan Says Turkey Will Push Back Syrian Forces in Rebel Town

Erdogan Says Turkey Will Push Back Syrian Forces in Rebel Town

(Bloomberg) -- President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Turkey will strike Syrian regime forces in Syria’s northwestern province of Idlib and elsewhere in the country should there be any other aggression against Turkish soldiers.

The Turkish military will push forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad away from the area until the end of February, Erdogan told lawmakers on Wednesday. Idlib serves as the last rebel stronghold in Syria’s nine-year-long civil war.

The Turkish leader said earlier he was weighing the next steps after ordering a massive deployment of tanks and commandos in Idlib, where his troops repeatedly came under fire from Syrian forces. At least 14 Turkish soldiers and civilians were killed in attacks this month.

To contact the reporter on this story: Firat Kozok in Ankara at fkozok@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Riad Hamade at rhamade@bloomberg.net, Onur Ant, Cagan Koc

©2020 Bloomberg L.P.