Russia and Turkey failed to reach an agreement during talks in Moscow aimed at taking steps to ease violent unrest in the Syrian province of Idlib, Russia's top diplomat said on Wednesday.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Syrian government forces, which have been undertaking an offensive in Idlib, were upholding previous agreements on the region but also reacting to provocations. Militant attacks on Syrian and Russian forces in Idlib were continuing, he said.

Russia and Turkey back opposing sides in the Syrian civil war, which is nearing its ninth year, with Moscow supporting Syrian President Bashar Assad's forces and Ankara backing some rebel groups.

Watch video 01:58 Share Syrians fleeing again Send Facebook google+ Whatsapp Tumblr linkedin stumble Digg reddit Newsvine Permalink https://p.dw.com/p/3Y2MU Turkey threatens military operation in Idlib

Read more: A summary of critical events in Syria's civil war

"We unfortunately failed to reach the desired result in our talks with Russia," Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said. "Although the talks will continue, it is true that we are very far from meeting our demands at the table."

The failure to reach an agreement comes amid heightened tensions. Deadly clashes earlier this month left 13 Turkish troops dead in Idlib, a northwestern province that borders Turkey.

Erdogan: Attack 'imminent'

On Wednesday, the Turkish leader threatened to launch a military operation in the province by the end of February to force a retreat should Syria's government fail to withdraw troops posted behind Turkish military positions.

"An operation in Idlib is imminent ... We are counting down, we are making our final warnings," Erdogan told lawmakers in Turkey's parliament.

Erdogan had previously warned that Turkey would "strike everywhere" if Damascus did not pull back.

On Wednesday, Russia's government warned Turkey against attacking Syrian forces. "If we are talking about an operation against the legitimate authorities of the Syrian Republic and armed forces of the Syrian Republic, this would of course be the worst scenario," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

In 2018, Turkey and Russia signed an agreement to establish a de-escalation zone in Idlib, allowing both sides to set up military observation posts. Both sides have accused each other of sidestepping the agreement.

Read more: The Syrian region abandoned by the world

Syria: Idlib reaches a breaking point Families flee as frontline closes in Syrian troops have intensified their push for the country's last major rebel enclave — a "prelude to their total defeat," according to President Bashar Assad. The violence and mass displacement could result in the biggest humanitarian horror story of the 21st century, said the UN's humanitarian and emergency relief head, Mark Lowcock. Children in particular have become the face of this suffering.

Syria: Idlib reaches a breaking point Largest exodus since World War II Of the almost 900,000 forced from their homes and shelters in the last three months, 80% have been women and children, a UN spokesperson said. Around 300,000 of those have fled since the start of February alone. The wave of displacement is the largest exodus of civilians since World War II.

Syria: Idlib reaches a breaking point Deadly temperatures With temperatures reaching minus seven Celsius (19 degrees Fahrenheit) at the snow covered displacement camps in the hills near Turkey's borders, seven children have died from exposure and bad living conditions. Save the Children said families are burning whatever they can find to stay warm. The chairty warned the death toll could rise.

Syria: Idlib reaches a breaking point Belligerents bolster forces Convoys of Turkish commandos rolled toward the former "de-escalation zone" as Russian-backed Syrian forces intensified their push to retake the area in late January. After 13 Turkish soldiers stationed there to support rebels were killed in early February, diplomatic efforts to broker a cease-fire stalled.

Syria: Idlib reaches a breaking point Highway to nowhere Assad's offensive to retake the strategic M5 highway leading through Idlib province to Syria's second city, Aleppo; has been a long-term objective. After a Russian bombing campaign helped Syrian forces capture all towns along the route on February 11, fierce fighting in western Aleppo forced more than 43,000 toward the Turkish border.

Syria: Idlib reaches a breaking point Russian bombing 'indiscriminate' The sheer number of Russian and Syrian aerial and artillery attacks on displacement camps, hospitals and schools "suggest they cannot all be accidental," UN human rights spokesperson Rupert Colville said. His office has recorded 299 civilian deaths this year, 93% caused by the Syrian government and its allies. Michelle Bachelet, the UN's human rights chief, called the campaign "indiscriminate."

Syria: Idlib reaches a breaking point Rebels, jihadis strike back Turkish-supported rebels have been caught out by the onslaught, as have jihadis who are not officially backed by Ankara. One Islamist group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, scored a rare victory last week when they downed a particular model of helicopter that Syrian forces are thought to use to drop barrel bombs on civilians.

Syria: Idlib reaches a breaking point Search for safety The UN's Bachelet said "no shelter is now safe" and displacement camps have been overwhelmed by the number of those fleeing from the violence. Many have left the camps to take their chances on the road. Bachelet called for humanitarian corridors to be established to allow civilians to escape.

Syria: Idlib reaches a breaking point No way out Turkey has closed its borders to prevent a further influx of Syrians. It already hosts 3.5 million refugees. That leaves the people of Idlib with no escape route. More than 500,000 of those fleeing are children. Author: Tom Allinson



Aleppo airport reopens

The talks came on the heels of Assad's Russian-backed government making significant gains in the northwest of the country. Its forces consolidated control over Aleppo province and seized the last segments of the strategic M5 highway, which links Aleppo to Damascus.

In a symbolic message from Assad's government, a flight carrying Syrian officials and and journalists flew from Damascus to Aleppo, marking the resumption of internal flights between Syria's two largest cities for the first time since 2012.

Government forces have been on the offensive to recapture both Aleppo and Idlib in the northwest, the last rebel-held areas in the country.

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lc/stb (Reuters, AFP, AP)