France condemns attack on Turkish soldiers in Syria

ANKARA

France on Monday condemned the attacks on Turkish soldiers by the Assad regime and its allies.

According to a statement by the French Foreign Ministry, French top diplomat Jean-Yves Le Drian spoke by phone to his Greek counterpart Nikos Dendias and EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell.

Le Drian "recalled the appeal by 14 foreign ministers from European Union member countries for the immediate cessation of the hostilities by the Syrian regime and its allies in Idlib," said the statement.

He also "reiterated in the strongest terms his condemnation of this offensive by the Syrian regime and its – particularly Russian – supporters, and of the attacks on Turkish forces in the area,” it added.

Last week, an attack by the Assad regime in Idlib, Syria martyred 34 Turkish soldiers, who are in the region to help local civilians.

Le Drian also voiced support for Greece over the recent influx of migrants to the country, after Turkey opened its borders for migrants to Europe.

He backed Greece's call for an extraordinary EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting on the migration issue.

The number of irregular migrants leaving Turkey for Europe has reached 117,677 on Monday, Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said on Twitter.

Thousands of migrants flocked to Edirne's Pazarkule border crossing to Greece after Turkish officials announced Friday they would no longer try to stop irregular migrants from reaching Europe.

The Turkish move came after it repeatedly told the EU that it does not have the capacity to accommodate more than 1.7 million Syrians, who have moved near the Turkish border following incessant attacks on the Idlib de-escaltion zone by the Syrian regime, despite a 2018 deal with Russia which prohibits acts of aggression in the region.

Turkey already hosts some 3.7 million migrants from Syria alone, more than any other country in the world.