MOSCOW (Sputnik) — In July, the Tahrir al Sham militant group, a merger organization between al-Nusra Front and some others groups linked to al-Qaeda, took control over Idlib.
"Radical groups have recently taken control of [Idlib] and, taking into account the operations to be carried out there, we are taking measures to prevent a human tragedy as well as threats to our country from outside our borders," Yildirim said, as quoted by the Daily Sabah newspaper.
The Turkish prime minister's statement might actually signal that a new Turkish military operation in Syria is being considered.
On Thursday, Turkish Customs Minister Bulent Tufenkci said that Turkish authorities restricted passage through the Cilvegozu checkpoint in the country's southern Hatay province, bordering Syria, in connection with the terrorist threat emanating from the war-torn state.
As Jarabulus was retaken, the joint forces of Ankara, the coalition and Syrian rebels continued the offensive southwest. In the end of February, Chief of the Turkish General Staff Hulusi Akar said that the city of al-Bab was under control and the goals of the Euphrates Shield operation in Syria had been achieved. The campaign ended on March 29.
