President: Turkey won't allow more ground to Syria in Idlib

Turkey's president said on Tuesday his country won't allow Syrian forces to gain additional territory in a northern Syrian province, Turkish media reported, a day after clashes between Turkish and Syrian forces killed soldiers on both sides.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan's comments came as Syrian forces reached the western gate of the rebel stronghold of Saraqeb in Idlib province in the north, while the UN announced that more than half a million people have fled their homes since December 1, because of the offensive.

"At the moment, Syria is trying to gain territory by forcing the innocent and poor people toward our border," private NTV television quoted Erdogan as telling a group of journalists late Monday.

"We won't give Syria the opportunity to gain territory."
He said Turkish officials were in constant contact with Russian counterparts in order "to keep the Astana and Sochi processes alive, to strengthen them, and to arrive at a political solution."
Cavusoglu, who held a telephone conversation with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov hours after the Turkey-Syria clash, added: "The regime's aggressiveness has to be stopped immediately. That was the message I gave Lavrov yesterday."