Turkey neutralizes 101 Assad regime military personnel

ANKARA

In the wake of another deadly attack on Turkish troops in northwestern Syria, Turkey's Defense Ministry on Monday said its forces rapidly retaliated against the Assad regime under the rules of engagement and its right to legitimate self-defense.

On Twitter, the Defense Ministry said that 115 Syrian regime targets were hit and 101 regime military personnel neutralized.

Turkish authorities often use the term "neutralized" to imply the terrorists in question surrendered or were killed or captured.

The ministry added that three tanks, two howitzer positions, and one regime helicopter were also hit.

The ministry also said that Turkey's retaliation against the Assad regime will continue under the rules of legitimate self-defense.

The ministry said the blood of Turkish martyrs will not have been spilled in vain, wishing Allah's grace upon the martyrs and a speedy recovery to the wounded. It also conveyed its condolences to the families of the martyrs.

Earlier Monday at least five Turkish troops were martyred and five injured in an attack by Assad regime forces in Idlib, northwestern Syria.

This followed last week’s attack by regime forces in Idlib which martyred seven Turkish soldiers and one civilian contractor working with the Turkish military, and injured more than a dozen people. In retaliation, Turkey last week struck over 50 targets and killed 76 Syrian soldiers.

The Turkish troops are in Idlib as part of an anti-terror and peace mission.

Idlib has been a stronghold of the opposition and anti-government armed groups since the outbreak of the Syrian civil war in 2011.

In September 2018, Turkey and Russia agreed to turn Idlib into a de-escalation zone in which acts of aggression are expressly prohibited.

But more than 1,800 civilians have been killed in attacks by regime and Russian forces since then, flouting both the 2018 cease-fire and a new one that started on Jan. 12.

*Writing by Fahri Aksut