33 Turkish soldiers killed in Syrian air raid in Idlib
Turkey says at least 33 of its soldiers have been killed in an air strike by Russia-backed Syrian government forces in northwestern Syria, rising tensions between Ankara and Damascus ally Moscow.
Rahmi Dogan, governor of Turkey’s Hatay Province bordering Syria, said on February 28 that 32 wounded troops were being treated in hospitals after the strikes in Idlib Province.
In response to the attack, Syrian government targets “have come and will continue to come under fire from the air and ground," said Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's communications director, Fahrettin Altun.
Syria’s government has made no immediate comments on the latest escalation in Idlib, which Russia-backed Syrian forces are trying to retake from rebels. A total of 54 soldiers have been reported killed in the province since the beginning of the month, including the latest fatalities.
Russia’s Defense Ministry said that Turkish troops who came under fire by Syrian troops were among "terrorists."
Russia's Black Sea Fleet said it was sending two warships equipped with Kalibr cruise missiles to the Mediterranean Sea toward the Syrian coast.
The United States said that "we stand by our NATO ally Turkey" and demanded that Syria and Russia end their "despicable" offensive in Idlib.
"We are looking at options on how we can best support Turkey in this crisis," a State Department spokeswoman said.
Turkey’s Anadolu news agency said Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu had spoken in a phone call with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg following the attacks.
In the call, Stoltenberg condemned "the indiscriminate air strikes by the Syrian regime and its backer Russia in Idlib Province, and called on them to stop their offensive, to respect international law, and to back UN efforts for a peaceful solution," an alliance spokesman said.
Stoltenberg "urged all parties to deescalate this dangerous situation and avoid further worsening of the horrendous humanitarian situation in the region," he added.
NATO’s top decision-making body, the North Atlantic Council, is to meet later in the day at Turkey’s request to discuss the situation in Syria, Stoltenberg wrote on Twitter.
The fighting has raised concerns that NATO member Turkey could come into direct combat against Russian forces in Syria.
