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Syrian civil war: 'Three killed' in attack on Turkish convoy | |
(about 1 hour later) | |
A Syrian government air strike aiming to stop a Turkish convoy reaching a rebel-held town in northern Syria has killed three civilians, Turkey alleges. | |
Another 12 people were injured in the attack in Idlib province on Monday, the Turkish defence ministry said. | |
Idlib is one of the few areas in Syria not under government control. | Idlib is one of the few areas in Syria not under government control. |
Syria has condemned the convoy, which is laden with ammunition. Turkey - which supports the rebels - says the strike violates previous agreements. | |
The agreement - reached last September between Russia and Turkey - should mean Idlib is protected from a major government offensive. | |
But in recent weeks government forces have stepped up their assault on the region - the last major anti-Assad stronghold - killing hundreds of civilians and driving hundreds of thousands from their homes. | |
On Sunday evening a Russian-backed government offensive reached Khan Sheikhoun, the rebel stronghold where the Turkish convoy is headed. | On Sunday evening a Russian-backed government offensive reached Khan Sheikhoun, the rebel stronghold where the Turkish convoy is headed. |
The convoy, which is reportedly made up of armoured vehicles, entered the region on Monday, but the attack has forced it to stop on a highway north of the town. | |
The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported that Russian aircraft had carried out strikes near a Turkish convoy in northern Syria on the morning of 19 August. | |
The convoy's arrival has been condemned in Syrian state media as an act of aggression. It said the munitions would not stop government forces "hunting the remnants of terrorists". | |
The incident has raised fears of direct clashes between the countries. | |
What's happening in Syria? | What's happening in Syria? |
After eight years of war, the Syrian government is trying to win back control of the last rebel-held areas. | |
Government forces, backed by Russia, reportedly entered the northwest outskirts of Khan Sheikhoun on Sunday. | |
Khan Sheikhoun, which was hit by a Sarin gas attack in 2017, is a strategically important town in the south of the province. | Khan Sheikhoun, which was hit by a Sarin gas attack in 2017, is a strategically important town in the south of the province. |
Syrian forces have now massed to both the east and west of Khan Sheikhoun, and air strikes are targeting the centre and surrounding villages. | Syrian forces have now massed to both the east and west of Khan Sheikhoun, and air strikes are targeting the centre and surrounding villages. |
Last week a Syrian government war plane was shot down in the area, hit by an anti-aircraft missile fired by militants, according to Syrian state news agency Sana. | |
Jihadist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) has claimed responsibility and released footage purportedly showing the captured pilot. | |
A colonel from a rebel faction confirmed to Reuters news agency that there were battles going on on the outskirts. Fighters from a Turkish-backed rebel force have joined the defence, he said. |