As Turkey weighs next steps in Syria, Erdogan says target is Damascus
Rapid rebel advances in Syria have shifted negotiations between Turkey, Iran and Russia to whether the Syrian government will survive.
ANKARA — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday described the Islamist-led rebel advances in Syria as not something that Turkey desires, blaming Syrian President Bashar al-Assad for the reignition of the civil war.
“The target, naturally, is Damascus. The opposition’s march continues,” Erdogan told reporters following Friday prayers in Istanbul.
“These troublesome marches that continue throughout the region are not what we desire,” he added. “The region is in trouble.”
The remarks came as the Islamist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and its Turkish-backed allies are advancing toward Homs, roughly 144 kilometers (90 miles) north of the Syrian capital.
