Turkish media say Saudi Arabia, Turkey may strike in Syria

Observers of the Syrian conflict say a ground intervention will be framed as a humanitarian intervention to help civilians and would involve Turkey and Saudi Arabia along with USA troops in Syria. A day earlier, Zarif met UN Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura on the sidelines of the Munich talks held by the group known as the International Syria Support Group (ISSG).

“If there is a strategy (against IS) then Turkey and Saudi Arabia could enter into a ground operation”, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu was quoted as saying by the Yeni Safak and Haberturk newspapers after taking part in the Munich Security Conference. “I believe Iran and Saudi Arabia can have shared interests in Syria”. “Unless and until there is a change in Syria, Daesh will not be defeated in Syria, period”, he argued.

“We have a common opportunity, common challenges, common threats”, Zarif said, adding that it was time to “set aside the past and have a new narrative, a new paradigm for the future”.

“If the global coalition against Daesh, which we are a part and have been since the very beginning decides that it will introduce ground troops to Syria in addition to the current air campaign we have said that the Kingdom of Saudis is prepared to contribute special forces to this effort”, Jubeir told CNN.

“It might take three months, it might take six months or three years – but he will no longer carry responsibility for Syria”.

“It is excellent additional fire power for us”, said one of the commanders, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The comments came hours before US Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov announced that they had agreed to implement a nationwide ceasefire in the country within one week.

Moscow has said its air strikes are against the extremist militant groups Islamic State and the Nusra Front, but other countries and rebel groups say the attacks target civilians.

Syria has been gripped by foreign-backed militancy since March 2011.

The five-year Syrian civil war has claimed the lives of more than 250,000 people.