After Soldier’s Death, Turkey Shells Syria’s Tall Rifat

: Internally displaced Syrians carry their belongings as they arrive at a refugee camp near the Bab al-Salam crossing, across from Turkey's Kilis province, on the outskirts of the northern border town of Azaz, Syria February 6, 2016. REUTERS/Osman Orsal
: Internally displaced Syrians carry their belongings as they arrive at a refugee camp near the Bab al-Salam crossing, across from Turkey's Kilis province, on the outskirts of the northern border town of Azaz, Syria February 6, 2016. REUTERS/Osman Orsal
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After Soldier’s Death, Turkey Shells Syria’s Tall Rifat

: Internally displaced Syrians carry their belongings as they arrive at a refugee camp near the Bab al-Salam crossing, across from Turkey's Kilis province, on the outskirts of the northern border town of Azaz, Syria February 6, 2016. REUTERS/Osman Orsal
: Internally displaced Syrians carry their belongings as they arrive at a refugee camp near the Bab al-Salam crossing, across from Turkey's Kilis province, on the outskirts of the northern border town of Azaz, Syria February 6, 2016. REUTERS/Osman Orsal

Retaliating to earlier attacks staged by the Kurdish-majority People's Protection Units (YPG), Turkish forces shelled Syria’s Tall Rifat city which is nestled in the northern Aleppo province.

In a statement released on Monday, the Turkish Defense Ministry said the country’s army forces successfully bombed YPG Kurdish sites in response to an attack that targeted Ankara military assets in Syria and which killed a Turkish soldier.

The ministry went on to confirm that not only one soldier was killed, but six others were injured by the attack. Victims were cleared from the area.

By far, this marks the heaviest toll incurred by a Turkey observation post set up in north Syria.

Back in 2017, Turkey and Russia had agreed to establish observation posts overlooking designated de-escalation zones in Syria’s north, especially in Idlib.

A military statement said it responded to the anti-tank attack by firing at militants in the region.

With the collapse of the declared truce in Hama and Idlib in recent weeks, Turkish observation posts have been the target of military escalation on behalf of the Russian-backed Syria regime and the YPG.
It is worth noting that the Syrian regime scaled up the bombing of Turkey-backed rebels in the Idlib region.

An agreement between Turkey and Russia, signed in September 2018 at the Black Sea resort city of Sochi, was intended to spare opposition forces in Idlib and its environs from regime attacks. But Russia, the Syrian regime’s major power backer, is accusing Ankara of failing to meet its obligations under the agreement as a rebel guarantor, especially with regard to the redeployment of hardline groups from some of the north’s main infrastructure.

Despite the resumed violence on behalf of the Syrian regime, it does not seem as though Russia will be allowing the military offensive to go into full-throttle in Idlib—a total breakout of violence in Syria’s northern areas would leave Turkey's southern borders in dismay.

In the same context, the United Nations warned that up to 2 million Syrians might flee to Turkey if the fighting raged in northwestern Syria.



Egypt Concerned Over Developments in Iran

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi meet in Istanbul last Saturday (Egyptian Foreign Ministry) 
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi meet in Istanbul last Saturday (Egyptian Foreign Ministry) 
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Egypt Concerned Over Developments in Iran

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi meet in Istanbul last Saturday (Egyptian Foreign Ministry) 
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi meet in Istanbul last Saturday (Egyptian Foreign Ministry) 

Egypt on Sunday expressed its “deep concern” over the latest developments in Iran following the US attacks on the country’s nuclear sites. It condemned the growing escalation, warning of its serious consequences on regional and international peace and security.

Although the foreign ministry’s statement did not directly refer to the US, an Egyptian diplomatic source told Asharq Al-Awsat, “We do not need to explain what is well-known. The Foreign Ministry statement condemned escalation following the US bombing. Everyone knows that Egypt meant the actions of Washington and not others.”
In the statement, Egypt reaffirmed its rejection of any violations of the UN Charter and international law, stressing the need to respect the sovereignty of states.
It also warned anew against the dangers should the region slide into further chaos and tension.
The statement emphasized that political solutions and diplomatic negotiations, not military action, are the only path to resolving the crisis and achieving a lasting settlement.
Egypt then renewed its call for de-escalation, self-restraint and dialogue, in order to protect civilian lives and preserve the security and stability of the region.

The statement came after the United States attacked early on Sunday Iran's three nuclear facilities at Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan. According to observers, the current escalation between Washington and Tehran is among the most dangerous in years.

Dr. Amr Al-Shobaki, an expert at Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies, said Egypt has a strong strategic alliance with the US.

However, tension lately arose after US President Donald Trump insisted that Egypt should accept displaced Palestinians from the Gaza Strip.

In its FM statement condemning the attack on Iran, “Egypt did not want to clearly refer to the US,” Al-Shobaki told Asharq Al-Awsat.

He said Egypt’s statement spoke in general when it warned of the serious consequences on regional and international peace and security.

“Cairo expressed its concern about the strike, but did not directly mention the US. It wanted to prevent an open confrontation and further tension in relations between both countries,” Al-Shobaki added.

On Saturday night, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi spoke by phone with his Iranian counterpart, Masoud Pezeshkian, the Egyptian presidency said in a statement.

Sisi expressed Egypt's complete rejection of the ongoing Israeli escalation against Iran, unlike the FM statement released following the US strikes and which did not mention Washington.

Meanwhile, Egypt continues to exert efforts to deescalate tensions in the region.

In this regard, Sisi on Sunday spoke by phone with the Sultan of Oman, Haitham bin Tariq Al Said. Sisi emphasized the need to halt the ongoing escalation between Israel and Iran, warning of the grave consequences of the expanding conflict in the region.

Sisi also praised the role played by the Sultanate in mediating between Iran and the United States, stressing the need to restore and strengthen the negotiating process to spare the region the scourge of war.
Meanwhile, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty made two separate phone calls with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan and Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani on the need to avoid further chaos and tension in the region.

The ministers emphasized the importance of halting military escalation and achieving a ceasefire, a Foreign Ministry statement said.

“They called for prioritizing political and diplomatic solutions as the only viable path out of the current crisis,” it added.

They also underscored the need to respect the sovereignty of states, uphold international law and adhere to the United Nations Charter.