Turkey: Syria ceasefire violators should be punished

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu has said that it is important for sanctions to be imposed on any group or faction that violates the Syrian ceasefire deal brokered by his country and Russia last week.

Cavusoglu expressed his regret at the continued violations of the ceasefire, and accused forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad and his regime of being the primary perpetrators.

According to Turkey’s most senior diplomat, ceasefire observation centres had been set up in both Ankara and Moscow, and all violations of the truce observed by the Turks were reported to their Russian partners.

Cavusoglu’s comments come as he was due to meet United Nations chief Antonio Guterres at the UN’s headquarters in New York.

Although the Turkish foreign minister was unclear as to what form these punishments and sanctions should take against those breaching the conditions of the truce, he did say that Turkey was in “discussions” with Russia to organise a deterrent.

Turkey had previously announced that it and Russia would act as “guarantors” for the ceasefire, and Ankara’s discussions with Moscow about a sanctions regime should be seen in this regard.

Since the ceasefire came into effect last week, the Assad regime has continued its assault on the strategic Wadi Barada valley near the Syrian capital of Damascus, even using chemical weapons against civilian targets in the village of Bseima.

Wadi Barada contains the Ain Al-Fijah spring, which supplies the majority of Damascus’ water needs. The Assad regime has bombed the spring, disrupting the flow of water to its own capital in what many believe to be an attempt at making Damascus’ residents angry with the Syrian opposition.