More mediation needed

Tensions between Syria and Turkey show no signs of abating after the two countries traded artillery fire again last week. If international efforts cannot provide a constructive approach to ease tensions, the crisis in Syria is in danger of escalating into a regional conflict.

The sporadic exchange of shelling between the two neighbors in the Middle East this month has been caused by several incidents of cross-border fire from Syria that sparked retaliatory shelling from Turkey.

These tit-for-tat retaliations have become an unwelcome trend.