Tensions in northwest Syria have escalated sharply since last week triggering broad concerns about the intensifying confrontation between Syria and Turkey.

The latest spiral of violence started on Thursday when 34 Turkish soldiers were killed in airstrikes in the northwestern Syrian province of Idlib, where Syrian government forces, backed by Russia, launched offensives to regain rebel-held areas. In response, Ankara announced "Operation Spring Shield" in Idlib on Sunday.

The Syrian regime has vowed to retake the last opposition enclave in the nine-year civil war, which has resulted in Turkish forces coming into conflict with the regime's ally Russia, although Ankara has insisted it does not want a direct clash with Russian forces.

Nonetheless, it looks like the 2018 agreement between Russia and Turkey to create a demilitarized zone in the northwestern province will fall apart.

To avoid the situation worsening, the contesting parties must exercise the utmost restraint and seek to de-escalate their conflict. Otherwise they will very likely fall into a vicious cycle of tit-for-tat retaliations, dimming hopes of rebuilding peace in Syria and allowing space in which terrorist groups can exist. The world community must continue to support anti-terrorism efforts there so as to prevent the resurgence of the Islamic State terrorist group.

And any escalation of the conflict will also exacerbate the sufferings of the Syrian people. The latest developments have painted a bleak picture of a worsening humanitarian disaster and sparked rising fears in Europe of a fresh influx of refugees.

With tensions flaring in northwest Syria, Turkey said that it will no longer stop refugees from going to Europe, which immediately raised the alarm for European countries. According to media reports, tens of thousands of refugees from Syria and other countries were massing on the Turkish borders with Greece and Bulgaria over the weekend.

The growing humanitarian crisis in the Middle East needs an immediate international response as there is no guarantee that a new refugee crisis of the magnitude of 2015 will not happen again. To fend off the risk, the European Union needs to step up preparations and seek to cooperate with Turkey to manage migrant flows.

The world community needs to exhaust every means to address the humanitarian crisis in the Middle East, and enhance the humanitarian assistance offered to Syria.

As the situation in Syria threatens to deteriorate, all players should bear the bigger picture of Syria's sovereignty, peace and stability in mind. They should be committed to diplomatic efforts for a political settlement of the Syrian issue, which is the only feasible way to end the conflict in the country and restore stability.