Would a no-fly zone in Syria serve any purpose?
Turkey’s call for a no-fly zone along its border with Syria is gaining momentum.
Ahmet Davutoglu, Turkish prime minister, says he was pleased with the positions of three fellow NATO members, who extended their support to the idea of establishing a safe zone in northern Syria, a policy Ankara has pursued for the last two years.
Struggling with more almost two million Syrian refugees, Turkey has long campaigned for a no-fly zone in northern Syria to keep ISIL and the PKK’s Syrian affiliate the People’s Protection Units (YPG) from its border and help stem the tide of Syrian refugees trying to cross it.
The idea is now complicated with the launch of Russian air strikes inside Syria.
So, can a no-fly zone help civilians? and what does it mean for this worsening conflict?
Presenter: Adrian Finigan
Metin Gurcan – independent security analyst and former Turkish military adviser
Pavel Felgenhauer – defence analyst and columnist with the Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta
Louay Safi – member of the Syrian opposition