Turkey: No-fly zone could have prevented Assad chemical attacks

In an apparent criticism of western lack of action in implementing strategies that could reduce Syrian civilian casualties, the Turkish presidential spokesperson said in an interview late Friday that a no-fly zone could have prevented the Assad regime’s chemical attack in Syria’s Idlib.

Speaking to CNN’s Christiane Amanpour, Ibrahim Kalin said that with the recent retaliation against the Assad regime’s attack, Trump showed that chemical attacks will not go unpunished.

Kalin said that the US response and position at the UN Security Council is encouraging in that they are ready to put pressure on the regime of dictator Bashar Al-Assad so that the political process can move forward.

The presidential spokesperson also said that they are also in talks with Russia, and that the recent attacks of the Assad regime undermined the Astana process to which both Turkey and Russia are committed.

He urged all parties – including the international coalition, Russia and Iran – that have influence over the Assad regime not to undermine the Astana process.

Commentary & Analysis: By one single act of pure evil Bashar Al-Assad has rescued the Trump presidency

The Astana talks, hosted by Kazakhstan, began after a nationwide ceasefire was announced in late 2016 after the opposition lost their holdings in the northern city of Aleppo. Though a ceasefire was in place, the Assad regime continued to attack the opposition, using the ceasefire and opposition weakness following the loss of Aleppo to gain further territory around the capital Damascus.

Turkey has been trying to play a central role in the Syrian conflict, but has so far struggled to convince either its NATO ally, the United States, or its on-again off-again partner Russia to adopt its foreign policy imperatives in the war-torn country.

Syrian child receives treatment after Assad Regime forces carried out a chemical attack in Idlib, Syria on April 4, 2017. ( Bahjat Najar – Anadolu Agency )