Russian, Turkish ‘specialists’ killed in Idlib attacks: Russian Foreign Ministry

Russian and Turkish military “specialists” were killed in attacks in Idlib, the Russian foreign ministry said on Thursday.

“There has recently been a dangerous increase in tension and a surge of violence in Idlib,” the ministry said in a statement on its website.

Russia continues close coordination with Turkey and Iran on Syria, the Russian foreign ministry added, after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday that Ankara’s previous agreements with Moscow about Idlib are “ineffective”.

Ankara expects Moscow to immediately stop Syrian regime attacks in Syria’s Idlib, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told reporters in Baku.

In response, the Kremlin said that militant attacks in Turkey’s area of responsibility in Syria’s Idlib continue on Syrian regime forces and Russian military infrastructure.

A Russian delegation will go to Turkey to discuss Syria’s Idlib and presidents will meet after if necessary, Cavusoglu added. The Kremlin also said it does not rule out a meeting between President Putin and President Erdogan to deescalate the situation.

Erdogan had threatened to drive back Syrian government forces in Idlib unless they withdraw from the region by the end of month, after an attack by Syrian forces killed eight Turkish military personnel in Idlib on Monday.