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Turkish Soldiers' Deaths Ramp Up TensionsWithMoscow

Dorian Jones

   ISTANBUL - Tensions between Turkey and Russia escalatedThursdaywith the
   killing of the two Turkish soldiers in a Syrian airstrike. Moscow,
   which backs the Damascus government, accused Ankara of supporting
   terrorists in Syria.

   In a statement, the Turkish Defense Ministry saidtheairstrike in
   Syria's Idlib provincealsoinjured fivepeople. The report didn't
   identify who was responsible for the attack, but it said immediate
   retaliation was carried out against "more than 50 [Syrian] regime
   targets," including tanks and artillery.

   Turkish presidential communications director Fahrettin Altun pointed
   directly at Damascus. "Turkish soldiers in Idlib,there to establish
   peace and manage humanitarian aid operations," were killed by "an
   attack carried out by the [Syrian] regime," tweeted Altun.

   Damascus so far has not commented. But the Russian Defense Ministry
   announced that its air forcehadcarried out airstrikes against
   Turkish-backed rebels in Idlib, whobrokethrough the lines of
   Damascusforces.

   Neither Moscow nor Ankara gave details of where Thursday's airstrikes
   occurred.

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