MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 28th February, 2020) Terrorists in the de-escalation zone in Syria's northwestern Idlib province made an attempt on Thursday to conduct a large-scale attack on the positions of the Syrian governmental troops, and the Syrian army responded with fire, which resulted in injuries for Turkish soldiers that were staying with the terrorists, the Russian Defense Ministry has said.
"On February 27, 2020, formations of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham terrorist group [previously known as Nusra Front, banned in Russia], staying in the Idlib de-escalation zone, made an attempt to conduct a large-scale offensive on the positions of the Syrian governmental troops," the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement on Friday.
The Defense Ministry added that its center for Syria reconciliation maintained constant contact with Turkey's center for coordination in Idlib, to prevent any threat. The Russian center for Syria reconciliation was constantly receiving updates from Turkey on the exact location of Turkish troops deployed to terrorists' combat areas.
Despite this, when the Syrian governmental troops responded to the attack, Turkish soldiers, who were among the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham members, came under fire in the area around Behun settlement, the Russian Defense Ministry said, adding that, according to the information provided by Turkey, no units of the Turkish army were present or could be present there.
Upon learning that Turkish soldiers sustained injuries, Russia made necessary steps to urge Syrian forces to cease fire. Turkish officers who were killed or injured in Idlib were evacuated safely to their country's territory.
"The aviation of the Russian Aerospace Forces was not used in the area near Behun," the ministry added.
