At least five Turkish troops were killed and as many injured in an attack by Bashar Assad's regime forces in northwestern Idlib province on Monday, the Turkish Defense Ministry said.
This came after a similar attack by the regime forces last week in Idlib killed seven Turkish soldiers and one civilian contractor working with the Turkish military, and injured more than a dozen people.
Last week, shelling by regime forces killed eight Turkish military personnel, prompting Turkish forces to strike back. The escalation raised concerns over future collaboration between Ankara and Moscow, which have backed opposing sides in the war despite joint efforts to ease the violence.
Turkey's President Tayyip Erdogan threatened on Wednesday to drive back Syrian regime troops in Idlib unless they withdraw by the end of the month to stem an assault.
Erdogan said two of Turkey's 12 observation posts, set up around a "de-escalation zone" in northwest Syria's Idlib region as part of a 2017 agreement with Russia and Iran, were now behind Syrian regime front lines.
About 1240 Turkish vehicles carrying tanks and attack weapons entered Syria in a week. Also about 5000 Turkish soldiers have been deployed, including 500 elite forces.
The source said the Syrian rebels have obtained TOW missiles, canons and ammunition.
Syrian regime forces have recaptured more than 600 square kilometers of territory so far in a campaign to seize control of the last rebel strongholds of Idlib and the Aleppo countryside, a statement from Syria’s armed forces said on Sunday.
Zaman al-Wasl reporter said the regime forces on Sunday have taken control of 11 villages including the village of al-Eis and its strategic hill just east of the M5.
Bloody Monday
Russian and regime bombardment on Idlib and Aleppo has killed 29 civilians in a day, according to opposition activists and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
Six children were among nine civilians killed early Monday in raids on the village of Abin Semaan, in Aleppo province, said the Observatory.
On Sunday, eleven people were killed in Russian and regime air strikes.
Five people, including two brothers were killed in air strikes hit the town of Kafr Nouran west of Aleppo city, According to Zaman al-Wasl reporter.
Two more civilians have been killed in barrel bombs attacks on the town of Atareb south of Aleppo while three displaced people were killed in the village of al-Sheikh Ali west of Aleppo.
The weekslong regime offensive has created a humanitarian crisis with about 600,000 people fleeing their homes in Syria's last rebel stronghold since the beginning of December, according to the United Nations.
Turkey and Russia support opposing sides in Syria’s nearly nine-year civil war, but have forged a series of agreements since 2017 aimed at containing the bloodshed.
The violence has also raised tensions between Russia and Turkey, which have been working together to secure cease-fires and political talks, despite backing opposite sides of the conflict.
Zaman Al Wasl with Agencies
Zaman Al Wasl
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