Syria, Iraq ablaze as Turkey goes to polls
There is not much hope for an immediate stabilization in the Middle East as developments in both Iraq and Syria are sufficiently proving.
The U.N.-led Geneva process aiming at drafting a political transitional period in Syria has concluded its fifth round without a concrete progress, while the fragile cease-fire in Syria is almost coming to an end, particularly after the Syrian regime allegedly used chemical weapons around the northern town of Idlib, killing dozens of civilians.
The use of chemical weapons - once a red line for the former United States administration - will surely have a negative effect on the continuation of the Astana process under the auspices of Turkey, Syria and Iran, which the Syrian opposition would reject being part of as it only brings about more bloody attacks from the Bashar al-Assad regime.
Once the truce was achieved after initiatives of Turkey and Russia late December 2016, the two countries have declared themselves as the guarantors of this cease-fire and would monitor the violations on the field. That is why it's important that President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan talked to Russian President Vladimir Putin on April 4 to recall that such breaches by the regime would undermine the effectivity of the Astana process.
Idlib has become the "new Aleppo" in the eyes of the Syrian regime as many armed members of radical Islamist groups have been sheltered in the city since Aleppo was evacuated in mid-December. But Idlib is also home to around more than 2 million civilians currently and a potential military offensive into the city can push a fresh massive influx into Turkish territories.
There are reports that Russian and Syrian armies are in cooperation with some armed units of the Syrian Kurdish...
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