Turkey tests limits of Moscow-Damascus alliance
Turkey’s attempt to test the waters by leading a push by the Syrian rebels has shown that Russia is apparently strongly determined to support the regime.
The latest Turkey-led push by the Syrian rebels is intended to test the power of the Syrian government's troops on the ground and the limits of Russian support to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. So far, the results do not seem promising for Ankara.
Following futile talks between Turkey and Russia over the escalation in northern Syria, Turkey-backed Syrian opposition factions launched an offensive against Assad’s forces on Feb. 20 to capture southeastern Aleppo town of Nayrab.
Hours later, an airstrike killed two Turkish soldiers, wounding five others. It remains unclear whether the strike was launched by a Syrian or a Russian fighter jet. Russia announced the troops were hit by a Russian jet while the Turkish Defense Ministry put the blame on the Syrian government forces. The intense clashes in the area are ongoing as of Feb. 21.
The recent offensive showed that Russia is determined to provide air and ground support to Assad’s forces under any circumstances.
