4 yıl önce

Turkish armed forces repel attack on observation post in Syria's Idlib

One group staged an attack near a Turkish observation post but no damage to was reported, Turkey's Defence Ministry said.

AP

Turkish military convoy stops in Idlib province, Syria, February 22, 2020.

Turkish security forces have fended off an attack in the Idlib de-escalation zone in northwestern Syria, according to the Turkish Defence Ministry.

The ministry said in a statement that groups directed by the Bashar al Assad regime but disguised as civilians approached several Turkish observation posts in the region.

One of these groups staged an attack near a Turkish observation post and was then dispersed, it added.

No damage to the observation post was reported, it said.

Idlib falls within a de-escalation zone forged under an agreement between Turkey and Russia.

The area has been subject to multiple cease-fire agreements, frequently violated by Assad regime and its allies.

It is currently home to 4 million civilians, including hundreds of thousands displaced in recent years by regime forces throughout war-torn Syria.

In recent months, nearly 1.7 million Syrians have moved near the Turkish border due to intense regime attacks.

In February 2020, at least 34 Turkish soldiers were killed in Idlib by Assad regime forces. Turkey retaliated on regime targets and launched Operation Spring Shield in the province to prevent further attacks on Syrian civilians and Turkish troops.

Earlier, Ankara's UN envoy said that Turkey will continue to respond by all necessary means against any attacks by the regime on Turkish troops.

The troops were in Idlib under the terms of a previous 2018 ceasefire deal for the Syrian province.

SOURCE: AA