Missile attack kills Turkish soldiers despite ceasefire
In the Syrian rebel province Idlib, the violence continues despite the agreed fire break. Two Turkish soldiers died in a rocket attack.
Two Turkish soldiers died in a rocket attack by radical groups in the fiercely contested Syrian province of Idlib. According to the Turkish Ministry of Defense, a third soldier was injured. The Turkish army shot at targets in the area after the attack.
It is the first time since a negotiated ceasefire two weeks ago that Turkish soldiers have died in fighting in Idlib. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Russian President Vladimir Putin had agreed to stop fighting in Idlib because of the escalating violence. So far, however, there have been repeated violations of the agreement.
Turkey supports Islamist rebels in Syria and has its soldiers there. Russia is on the side of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his army. Around a million people are fleeing the war. Millions of others are stuck in the region.
Activists had previously reported ceasefire violations. According to President Bashar al-Assad, Syrian government troops attacked several villages in the province. Russia also reported violations.