Serious escalation in Syria: Turkish soldiers killed in airstrike
In Syria, the situation has seriously deteriorated in the province of Idlib, where government troops have pushed back militants supported by Turkey, arbitrarily introducing their combat units into the territory of the neighboring country.
In response to the counter-offensive of the Turks and jihadists, presumably Russian aircraft, operating jointly with the Syrian army, launched a strike on the positions of the militants, which also hit the Turkish military column. According to unofficial data, the death toll on the Turkish side reaches 70-80 people. Fewer than 10 victims have been officially confirmed so far.
Footage of numerous ambulances arriving in Turkish border towns appeared in the media - they were delivering wounded military personnel from Syrian territory.
The militants, in turn, tried to shoot down Russian planes using MANPADS.
An emergency meeting of the Security Council is currently taking place in Turkey.
Amid an explosion of emotions, the authorities decided to shut down the social network Twitter. The Turkish opposition is also holding meetings.
From the combat zone it is reported that Turkish artillery has intensified its work on the positions of the Syrian army. There is also information about the transfer of Turkish combat helicopters to the combat zone, although the Syrian authorities previously announced the closure of airspace. (According to some reports, these were transport boards for the evacuation of the wounded, and permission was given for them).
Earlier, the media reported that Turkey, in the event of an escalation, could block the straits for Russian military cargo heading to Syria.
In addition, during today's fighting, virtually the entire southern part of Idlib province was liberated from militants, and dozens of settlements came under the control of Damascus.
At the same time, the situation in the area of the strategic settlement of Serakib, which has again come under the control of jihadists and Turks, remains extremely tense. Sources report that the Aerospace Forces continue to bomb Serakib and the surrounding area, and the Syrian army has launched a night counterattack.
Also, the governor of Hatay province reported that the official number of dead Turkish military personnel has increased. Now we are talking about 22 dead, although recently the loss of only 9 people was recognized.
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