Originally posted by the Voice of America.
Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America,
a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in
the public domain.


22 Turkish Soldiers Killed in Syria's Idlib

Agence France-Presse

   ANKARA, TURKEY - At least 22 Turkish soldiers were killed in the
   northwestern Syrian province of Idlib after an airstrike on Thursday
   blamed on Damascus, as violence escalated in the already chaotic
   region.

   Several soldiers were injured and taken to Turkey for
   treatment,RahmiDogan, the governor of Hatay in Turkey, which sits on
   the border with Syria, said in televised remarks early Friday.

   Counting those lost in the latest attack,42 Turkish security personnel
   have been killed in Idlib.

   The losses came after weeks of growing tensions between rebel supporter
   Ankara and Damascus ally Moscow.

   Turkey has urged the Syrian regime to withdraw from Turkish observation
   posts in Idlib, while Moscow has accused Ankara of aiding "terrorists"
   in Syria.

   Under a 2018 deal with Russia meant to bring calm to Idlib, Turkey has
   12 observation posts in the region,but several have come under fire
   from Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's forces.

   Erdogan calls meeting

   Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan hastily convened an emergency
   meeting in Ankara after the attack in Idlib, attended by the defense
   and foreign ministers as well as the spy chief and military commanders.

   There appeared to be restricted access to Twitter, Instagram and other
   social media, after users in Turkey reported they were unable to use
   the websites.

.