Turkey has reinforced its troops around the Syrian province of Idlib as government forces prepare for a military offensive to reclaim control of the rebel-held area. Footage released by Turkish media showed two convoys of military trucks heading to some of the 12 Turkish observations posts. During a visit to Pakistan on Friday, Turkey's foreign minister said his country is still working for a peaceful solution for the rebel-held province. Meanwhile, Turkish, Russian, German, and French officials met in Istanbul to discuss the Idlib offensive. Michal Bardavid has this report.

MICHAL BARDAVID ISTANBUL "Representatives of Turkey, Russia, France and Germany met in Istanbul to discuss the Syrian crisis. Following the meeting, Turkish Presidential Spokesman Ibrahim Kalin spoke to reporters and said all parties agreed that an attack on Syria's rebel-held Idlib province would have severe consequences. Kalin said the main aim of the meeting was to discuss a political solution for Syria. He stated that Turkey was ready to take action to minimize security risks in the region.

Kalin also emphasized that there was concern regarding a potential influx of refugees and that it would impact not only Turkey – but European countries as well. The group discussed ways to prevent a humanitarian crisis from happening. A schedule regarding the formation of a constitutional committee was also on the agenda. Kalin stressed that Russian President Vladimir Putin's expected meeting with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan for Monday in Sochi could result in some significant outcomes for the Syrian crisis.

While Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated that Russia would continue bombing targets in Idlib but would also allow civilians to escape via humanitarian corridors. Meanwhile, Turkey's state-run television Anadolu Agency reports Turkey continues expanding its military presence at the Syrian border, as more armored vehicles and tanks arrived in the towns of Reyhanli and Hatay."