Kremlin criticises Trump’s warnings about attacking Idlib

Speaking on France-Inter radio on Sunday, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has won the country’s civil war but will not “win the peace” without a political solution aided by global mediators, Sputnik reported.

Ahead of the Idlib assault, Turkey has stepped up efforts to negotiate with Russian Federation and Iran to separate out and protect the rebel groups it backs, media have reported.

The day before Pompeo’s warning, Lavrov told Western nations not to “play with fire” over Idlib and claimed the White Helmets, a group of unarmed volunteer rescue workers, were preparing to stage a chemical strike to blame on the Syrian government as a pretext for military action.

Idlib is adjacent to Latakia province, the coastal heartland of Assad’s Alawite minority and home to the Russian military airport of Hmeimim. “However we can not say there is no gateway to reconciliation”.

Turkey, which has closed its border to fighters and civilians, has vowed that a regime incursion into Syria would constitute a “red line”.

“We don’t see any way that significant military operations are going to be beneficial to the people of Syria”, Dunford told reporters during a trip to Athens.

Trump on Monday warned Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his allies Iran and Russian Federation not to “recklessly attack” the northwestern Syrian province, saying hundreds of thousands of people could be killed.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov Tuesday criticized Trump’s warning as “not a comprehensive approach”.

Iran echoed that theme.

“They are using people as human shields”.

Pope Francis on Sunday, September 2, warned of a “human catastrophe” in the Syria’s Idlib province, the last major rebel bastion which is being shelled by government forces.

No mention of Lavrov’s efforts to negotiate a humanitarian corridor that would ensure the safe and orderly evacuation of civilians, however.

The U.S. has twice struck Syrian military installations in response to alleged poison gas attacks.

The Observatory said it continues to monitor Russian activities in the skies over Idlib “as well as intense bombardment by regime forces” in the same area.

Analysts say there is still a window of opportunity to avoid the humanitarian impact of a full-scale offensive. Ankara last week added Tahrir al-Sham to its list of designated terrorist groups.

“So, while we are aware that efforts and discussions are taking place to avoid the worst-case scenario, one can not ignore that miscalculations may indeed occur leading to unforeseen escalation and we are all very much concerned”.

Muallem praised Iran’s support for Syria in the war against terrorists.

The government prioritized reconciliation in Idlib but was rejected by the ultra-radical groups who opted for a military operation.

It follows comments by Iran’s foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, that “terrorists must be purged” from Idlib and the entire northwestern province returned to government control.

Peskov also said the situation in and around Idlib Province will be a main item on the agenda when President Vladimir Putin meets in Tehran on September 7 with the leaders Iran and Turkey.

Even a staggered offensive like that would involve fighting around Turkish observation posts, potentially triggering a new escalation in an already complex war.

The Syrian Civil Defence, volunteer first responders also known as the White Helmets, said five children were killed in strikes on the town of Jisr al-Shughour and another three civilians were killed in strikes on the village of Mahambal.