February 3, 2020 - 14:50 AMT
Turkey targets Syria troops in deadly counterattack

At least six Syrian government soldiers were reportedly killed by Turkish shelling in Idlib region, Syria, on Monday, February 4, in an attack that came in "retaliation" for an earlier strike by Syrian troops that killed four Turkish soldiers, Ankara has said, according to Deutsche Welle reports.

The clash marks a rare confrontation between Syrian forces and Turkish troops based in the northwestern region of Syria.

The Turkish attack — south of the flash point town of Saraqeb — wounded another 20 regime fighters, according to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had earlier vowed that his country's military operation in Syria's Idlib region would continue after the death of Turkish soldiers.

"We have responded in kind to these attacks and will continue to do so, whether it is with our artillery or mortars," he told reporters in Istanbul.

"We are determined to continue our operations for the security of our country, people and our brothers in Idlib."

At least six Syrian government soldiers were reportedly killed by Turkish shelling in Idlib region, Syria, on Monday, in an attack that came in "retaliation" for an earlier strike by Syrian troops that killed four Turkish soldiers, Ankara has said.

The clash marks a rare confrontation between Syrian forces and Turkish troops based in the northwestern region of Syria.

The Turkish attack — south of the flash point town of Saraqeb — wounded another 20 regime fighters, according to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.