© Getty Images/Ibraham Hatib/Anadolu Agency
Turkish armed forces in Idlib de-escalation zone, February 20, 2020
Having been hit by the Syrian Air Force in Idlib,
Turkey has called on NATO's protection, but as much as the alliance would like a fight with Assad and his ally Russia,
it's refused to back Ankara's questionable adventure.
Turkey engaged NATO in Article 4 consultations, seeking help regarding the crisis in Syria. The meeting produced a statement from NATO condemning the actions of Russia and Syria and advocating for humanitarian assistance, but denying Turkey the assistance it sought.
The situation in Idlib province has reached crisis proportions. A months-long military offensive by the Syrian Army, supported by the Russian Air Force and pro-Iranian militias, had recaptured nearly one-third of the territory occupied by anti-Assad groups funded and armed by Turkey. In response, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan dispatched thousands of Turkish soldiers, backed by thousands of pieces of military equipment, including tanks and armored vehicles, into Idlib to bolster his harried allies.
The result has been a disaster for Turkey, which has lost more than 50 soldiers and had scores more wounded due to Syrian air attacks. For its part, Russia has refrained from directly engaging Turkish forces, instead turning its attention to countering Turkish-backed militants. Faced with mounting casualties,
Turkey turned to NATO for assistance, invoking Article 4 of the NATO charter, which allows members to request consultations whenever, in their opinion, their territorial integrity, political independence or security is threatened.
Comment: As detailed in Israel bombs Syria: how long can this go on? this threat is unlikely to come to pass, but it may have some sway with the elections, and that may be part of what it's intended to do.
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