Risk of escalation in Syria grows hourly without urgent action: UN

09:46, February 28, 2020

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  Turkish soldiers killed in Syria amid threats of escalation

  Turkish backed rebel fighters fire heavy machine gun near the village of Neirab in Idlib province, Syria, Thursday, Feb. 20, 2020. (Photo: AP)Two Turkish soldiers were killed Thursday in an airstrike in northwestern Syria, Turkey said, after an attack by Ankara-backed opposition forces that targeted Syrian government troops.The deaths came after the Turkish president threatenedto expand his nation’s involvement in Syria if another one of his troops were hurt.At least 15 Turkish soldiers have been killed in Syria this month amid a crushing offensive by Syrian President Bashar Assad’s forces aimed at recapturing remaining opposition-held areas in the region.Intent on halting the advance, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had vowed Feb. 12 to take military action “everywhere in Syria” if another Turkish soldier was killed or wounded.The multiple front offensive has triggeredthe biggest single wave of fleeing civilians in Syria’s nine-year war, displacing nearly 1 million people who have rushed toward the Turkish border and are now sheltering in tents or sleeping rough in harsh winter weather.It has also risked completely shattering a fragile cooperation between Ankara and Moscow, which back opposing sides of the Syria war. Ankara has sent thousands of soldiers to northwestern Syria to try to stem the Syrian government advance on the province near the Turkish border, leading to the repeated flare-ups.Thursday’s exchange marked a serious escalation that risks growing into a full-blown conflict between Turkey and Syria. Erdogan has also called on Assad’s forces to retreat from Idlib or face an “imminent” Turkish attack.The exchange began after opposition fighters shelled Syrian government forces and entered the village of Nairab, which Assad’s forces had captured Feb. 3, the Turkish Anadolu agency said.The Russian military said the militants’ actions “were supported by Turkish artillery fire,” which allowed them to break through the Syrian army’s defenses. Four...

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  Chinese overseas exposed to growing global coronavirus risks

  Photo shows the Huaqiangbei commercial area in Shenzhen, south Chinas Guangdong Province, Feb. 24, 2020. (Photo: Xinhua)The growing risks of the global coronavirus outbreak have thrown some Chinese living overseas into the dilemma of whether to "leave or stay," creating a new challenge for Chinese cities in containing the backflow of contagion from overseas if residents return, just as China is seeing obvious progress from its battle against the deadly virus.The dilemma requires Chinese authorities at all levels to strike a balance between considering the needs of Chinese residents overseas and fulfilling the task of winning the coronavirus battle domestically.Several imported cases of infection from countries such as Iran and Italy, hardest hit by the novel coronavirus pneumonia (COVID-19), have been detected in China, including one case from Iran reported in Northwest Chinas Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region on Wednesday, another two from Iran reported in Beijing on Saturday, one from Italy reported in East Chinas Zhejiang Province on Monday, and one from the UK detected in Shenzhen, South Chinas Guangdong Province, on Sunday.When coronavirus cases grow rapidly worldwide with new cases of infection outside China exceeding those detected inside the country, some Chinese living overseas are now stuck in a dilemma, prompting them to consider whether to fly home given the countrys strong measures to control the coronavirus outbreak which are proving effective.In Italy, people under quarantine have protested in the streets, although the number of cases is rising, and an Italian lawmaker was mocked because he was wearing a mask during a lower house meeting. Some Chinese business representatives, tourists and students in Italy interviewed by the Global Times shared common concerns over the lack of public awareness concerning the outbreak, and said they were considering flying back to China.While some migrants from We...

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  UN chief calls for intensified efforts to contain COVID-19 without stigmatization

  Photo: Official Twitter account ofAntonio GuterresUNITED NATIONS, Feb. 28 (Xinhua) -- Now is the time for all governments to step up and do everything possible to contain COVID-19 while respecting human rights without stigmatization, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told a press encounter Friday."We are seeing cases in a number of new countries, including now also the African continent," he said. "This not a time for panic -- it is time to be prepared -- fully prepared.""We know containment is possible, but the window of opportunity is narrowing," he said.The UN chief appealed for solidarity and full global support with all countries fully assuming their responsibilities."As they do so, they can count on the support of the United Nations and naturally of the World Health Organization, that is part of our family," he said.The World Health Organization on Friday raised the risk assessment of COVID-19 from "high" to "very high" at global level.