Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said:

I condemn the killing of at least 33 Turkish soldiers in Idlib yesterday. We express our deepest condolences to the Turkish government and people.

We support our NATO ally Turkey’s efforts to negotiate an immediate and lasting ceasefire in Idlib, which is imperative if this already dangerous situation is not to deteriorate further. We will be calling for an emergency UN Security Council session today in New York.

Yesterday’s events only confirmed the reckless and brutal nature of the offensive which the Syrian regime and Russia are conducting in Idlib. This has created the gravest humanitarian crisis of the entire war.

There is no justification for such blatant disregard of international law or basic human decency. Building on new sanctions announced earlier this month, we will work with our international partners to tighten this screw further until these crimes stop.

Background

The UK has provided £118 million this financial year to organisations delivering humanitarian aid cross-border primarily into north-west Syria. This helps to provide vulnerable people in Idlib with food, clean water, shelter and healthcare. The UK will continue to work with the UN to ensure aid reaches the people in need.

Further information

An order laid in Parliament on Monday has today come into force to ban the right-wing terrorist group Sonnenkrieg Division (SKD) in the UK.

On Monday, the government laid orders to proscribe SKD, amend the entry for PKK (the Kurdistan Worker’s Party) and recognise System Resistance Network as an alias of the already proscribed National Action.

The name change order relating to System Resistance Network entered into force on Tuesday. The proscription order entered into force today.

Membership or support of any of the organisations can be met with 10 years’ imprisonment.

A wading team, in full water rescue kit and with an inflatable sled, assisted Humberside fire and rescue service with door knocking, giving safety advice and helping with further evacuations. Teams are still ready to respond once more if needed.

Coastal operations area commander Matt Atkinson said: “Our amazing volunteers and full-time officers have really gone above and beyond in the last few days, with many dropping everything to travel to assist with the flooding and to help those in need.”