ISTANBUL: Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar and his Russian counterpart discussed by phone developments in Syria’s Idlib province and measures to reduce tension in the area, the Turkish Defence Ministry said on Tuesday.
A renewed wave of violence in northwestern Syria has killed more than 120 civilians, rescue workers and civil defence officials say. The offensive by the Syrian army and its allies, backed by Russia, has uprooted more than 150,000 people in the biggest escalation in the war since last summer, the United Nations says.
On Monday, rebels said they mounted a counterattack against government forces in northwestern Syria, where Idlib is located, ramping up battles in Syria’s last major insurgent stronghold.
A senior rebel commander said the latest offensive showed an array of rebel forces were still able to prevent the Russian-backed army assault from making any major territorial gains in the third week of heavy air strikes.
“We conducted this lighting offensive to show the Russians we are not easy prey and throw the regime off balance,” said Abu Mujahid, from the National Liberation Front. — Reuters
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