Syria – Idlib – Q&A from the press briefing (6 February 2020)

Q: What is France’s response to the artillery fire by the Damascus regime against Turkish soldiers in Idlib Province? Do you believe, like the United States, that the Turkish response was justified, and that Ankara should be supported given the potential for escalation?

A: We are extremely concerned about the situation in Idlib and the potential for escalation following the strikes by the Syrian regime against the positions established in the context of the implementation of the agreement reached in Sochi on September 17, 2018.

We call for the immediate cessation of hostilities in Idlib Province. The allies of the Syrian regime have a special responsibility in this respect.

The indiscriminate bombing by the regime and its supporters violate international humanitarian law. The military offensive by the regime and its allies in Idlib Province exacerbates the humanitarian crisis and undermines the search for a negotiated political solution to the Syrian crisis in accordance with UNSCR 2254.