|
ISTANBUL, June 29-- The recent deadly shelling of a Turkish military post in Syria's Idlib province may be aimed at both pressuring Ankara to withdraw its troops from the area and not to go back on the S-400 deal under U.S. pressure, analysts told Xinhua. "Turkey could now consider taking action for Idlib to be handed over to Syria," said Hasan Koni, an international relations analyst. On Thursday, a Turkish soldier was killed and three others wounded in the shelling that struck a Turkish military observation post in Idlib's de-escalation zone. The Turkish Defense Ministry, saying the attack was deliberate, blamed it on Syrian government forces and said the Turkish military strongly retaliated in kind. The Idlib issue, which Ankara says should be politically settled, risks turning into a trouble spot between Ankara and Moscow, partners in Syria since mid-2016. "It's unthinkable this strike could have been carried out without Moscow's consent," said Ali Er, a former general. Russia's military attache in Ankara was summoned to the Turkish General Staff Headquarters, the Turkish Defense Ministry said. The Idlib province along the Turkish border is the last major bastion for rebels in war-torn Syria. "Turkey should adopt a new Syria policy and sit at the negotiating table with Russia and Syria without delay," said Haldun Solmazturk, a former general. In his opinion, the situation is getting riskier for Ankara. | 
