Turkey

 If you prefer irrationality, (the quality of being illogical or unreasonable) which is bizarre (strange or unusual), this is not the oped for you.  So much of the information in the oped has been covered here for many years. Including Turkey's cooperation with Syria and Russia to clear Aleppo city, back in 2016... Yup, there are a number of reports covering that reality here at PFYT's. They will be relinked. Sane non sensational oped from aawsat @ Akram Bunni

Why is Turkey, with US backing, protecting Al-Qaeda’s largest affiliate in Idlib, Syria? Idlib is facing a humanitarian disaster as…
The post Turkey, US protect Al Qaeda in Idlib and worsen Syria’s suffering appeared first on The Grayzone.

 Earlier Today:

Russia/Turkey To Talk in Ankara Next Week- Russia did NOT Strike Turkish Troops

The latest:

 Going further there are now reports that Erdogan and Putin will talk, today, via phone at 15:00 GMT

Link

Despite every effort to mediate over the increase in violence in Idlib, it has become clear that Turkey’s root intentions are to retain, or attempt to retain, Syrian territory it has long coveted.
To do this, Turkey, as the other Sochi Agreement partners, Iran and Russia, see it, has failed to keep its word. Turkey has clearly failed to separate terrorists recognized as such, though supported openly by the West, from the terrorists it supports. What are we saying?

https://southfront.org/turkish-war-on-syria-bluff-or-reality/ Turkey will take the Idlib matter into its own hands and the military operation in northwestern Syria is simply a “matter of time”, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan declared on

Russia called the situation a “worst case scenario."

 It's not at all clear if fighting has really intensified, since fighting has been consistent in Idlib for years now. How would the intensity be quantified?  It can't be and that's why the 'chicken little' approach to covering Idlib has been avoided here.   Much more likely is that media coverage has been hyper exaggerated to excuse (seek to defend or justify) a US intervention. Now that I can vouch for.

RT | February 20, 2020 The Russian Air Force launched strikes to repel a militant offensive against the Syrian Army in Idlib, which had sought to breach the government forces’ defensive lines, the Russian Defense Ministry said. The militants, supported by Turkey, had shelled the Syrian Army’s positions in the region. However, the Turkish forces […]

Turkish military reinforcements preparing to cross the border into Syria’s northwestern province of Idlib, February 12, 2020 By M. K. BHADRAKUMAR | Indian Punchline | February 19, 2020 Moscow has taken with a pinch of salt Turkish President Recep Erdogan’s statement on Wednesday that a Turkish incursion into the northwestern Syrian province of Idlib is imminent. […]