A batch of leaked recordings shared by a Telegraph correspondent Friday showed Syrian regime troops asking for the coordinates of Turkish observation points in Aleppo.
In a tweet by Josie Ensor, the Middle East Correspondent for the outlet, she shared a video where two people are talking over the radio. "Do you have the coordinate of the Turkish post, Somar?" says one while the other answers with coordinates shortly before the attack is carried out.
Director of the Countering Terrorism and Extremism Program at the Middle East Institute Charles Lister said in light of these leaks that Turkey was aware that regime troops were purposely targeting its posts, "but this should be a wake-up call about which actors are pushing escalation" in the region.
Leaked recordings show Assad regime purposely attacked Turkish posts https://t.co/jdy5YL5tFL pic.twitter.com/fKquZxfEAx
— DAILY SABAH (@DailySabah) February 22, 2020
According to Ensor, the communications were intercepted by spotters at an observatory in west Aleppo.
The Turkish military has established several observation points across Idlib as part of a de-escalation zone deal reached during the Astana peace process, backed by Turkey, Russia and Iran.
The aim of the observation posts is to establish, monitor and sustain the current cease-fire in the de-escalation zones, deliver humanitarian aid to persons in need and to ensure the secure return of displaced people.
