The United Nations has warned of a humanitarian crisis unfolding in Syria's northwest province of Idlib, as Western powers challenged Syria and its ally Russia to provide assurances that attacks on hospitals and schools would stop.
Syrians escaping violence in Idlib have arrived in villages near the Turkish border in droves, fearing Damascus will launch a full-blown assault on the rebel stronghold.
Turkey hopes a summit with Iranian and Russian leaders in Tehran on Friday will avert a Syrian government offensive on the rebel-held Idlib enclave and prevent a new influx of refugees to Turkey, President Tayyip Erdogan was quoted as saying.
The Iranian foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, has stressed that our priority should be to minimize loss of life when expelling terrorists from Syria's Idlib province.
Turkish troops travelling in a convoy of 12 armoured vehicles have entered northern Syria in a new military operation.
