Turkish soldiers killed in Syria

Syrian government forces killed five Turkish soldiers in northwestern Syria on Monday, Turkey’s defence ministry said, after Turkey deployed thousands of troops there to stem a Syrian government offensive.

Anadolu News Agency reports that at least five Turkish troops were martyred and five others injured in an attack by the Assad regime forces in Syria’s northwestern Idlib province on Monday, the country’s National Defense Ministry said.

This came after a similar attack by the regime forces last week in Idlib martyred seven Turkish soldiers and one civilian contractor working with the Turkish military, and injured more than a dozen people.

The Turkish forces “sent as reinforcements to prevent conflicts in Idlib, to ensure border security, and to prevent migration and humanitarian tragedy came under intense artillery fire by the regime forces,” the Defense Ministry said in a statement.

It went on to say enemy targets were immediately destroyed, adding that authorities are monitoring the situation in the volatile region. The Turkish troops are in northwestern Syria, just across the Turkish border, as part of an anti-terror and peace mission.

Al Jazeera reports “the Turkish military retaliated by hitting 115 Syrian government targets, according to the ministry, which said it had “neutralised” 101 Syrian military personnel. The statement added that the response was carried out “under the rules of engagement and legitimate self-defence”.Turkish authorities often use the word “neutralised” in statements to imply that enemy elements have surrendered, are killed or have been captured.

Via Anadolu / Reuters / Al Jazeera