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Turkey says observation post attacked from Syria regime area
ANKARA, June 16, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – One of Turkey’s observation posts was hit
by shelling from an area controlled by Syrian government forces in
northwestern Syria, the Turkish defence ministry said on Sunday.
There were no casualties but the ministry said equipment was damaged in
the assault while Turkish forces “immediately retaliated with heavy weapons”.
Shelling and mortar fire “understood to be deliberate” fired from Tall
Bazan region held by Syrian regime forces hit the post in Murak region, the
ministry said in a statement.
The assault comes less than four days after three Turkish soldiers were
hit in another attack Turkey said was “deliberate” on another observation
post on Thursday.
Two Turkish soldiers were hurt in May in a similar attack blamed on
Damascus.
Turkey has 12 military observation posts in Idlib, northwestern Syria, the
last bastion of jihadist forces, in a bid to prevent a large-scale offensive
in the region.
Ankara fears such an assault would push hundreds of thousands of refugees
into Turkey.
Turkish officials made representations to Russia about the latest attack,
the ministry said. Moscow provides support to the Syrian regime of President
Bashar al-Assad.
Despite being on opposing sides in the war, Moscow and Ankara, which backs
rebels, have worked closely to seek a political solution and in September
agreed a buffer zone deal.
The deal was meant to protect Idlib from a major regime assault but was
never fully implemented, as jihadists refused to withdraw from the planned
demilitarised zone.
Damascus and Moscow have upped their bombardment in the region since late
April, killing over 360 civilians, according to UK-based monitor, the Syrian
Observatory for Human Rights.
Russia announced a ceasefire in the province on Wednesday but Turkey said
a complete ceasefire had not yet been secured.
BSS/AFP/SSS/1709 hrs