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| Russia denies responsibility for attack in northern Syria that killed 33 Turkish soldiers | Russia denies responsibility for attack in northern Syria that killed 33 Turkish soldiers |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| MOSCOW — Russian military officials denied responsibility Friday for an airstrike in northern Syria that killed dozens of Turkish troops, as the risk of a major military confrontation between Russia and Turkey in the region escalated sharply. | MOSCOW — Russian military officials denied responsibility Friday for an airstrike in northern Syria that killed dozens of Turkish troops, as the risk of a major military confrontation between Russia and Turkey in the region escalated sharply. |
| Russia’s Ministry of Defense said in a statement that no Russian jets had been operating in the area of the strike carried out Thursday in Idlib province. | Russia’s Ministry of Defense said in a statement that no Russian jets had been operating in the area of the strike carried out Thursday in Idlib province. |
| “Aircraft of the Russian Air Force did not engage in combat in the Behun vicinity,” the ministry said. | “Aircraft of the Russian Air Force did not engage in combat in the Behun vicinity,” the ministry said. |
| Rahmi Dogan, governor of Hatay province in Turkey, announced that 33 soldiers were killed. Dozens more were reported wounded. | Rahmi Dogan, governor of Hatay province in Turkey, announced that 33 soldiers were killed. Dozens more were reported wounded. |
| The Russian statement said Moscow had warned Syria to cease attacks on anti-regime fighters in the Behun region when it became aware of the Turkish casualties. | The Russian statement said Moscow had warned Syria to cease attacks on anti-regime fighters in the Behun region when it became aware of the Turkish casualties. |
| “As soon as the information about Turkish casualties was received, the Russian side took comprehensive measures to fully stop the firing by the Syrian forces and to ensure safe evacuation of the dead and injured Turkish servicemen to the Turkish territory,” the ministry said. | “As soon as the information about Turkish casualties was received, the Russian side took comprehensive measures to fully stop the firing by the Syrian forces and to ensure safe evacuation of the dead and injured Turkish servicemen to the Turkish territory,” the ministry said. |
| The Defense Ministry statement added that Turkey’s military had not provided Russia with the geolocation of its forces in Behun. | The Defense Ministry statement added that Turkey’s military had not provided Russia with the geolocation of its forces in Behun. |
| “At the same time, according to the coordinates provided by the Turkish side to the Russian Center for Reconciliation, there were no — and should not have been any — units of the Turkish armed forces in the area of Behun,” the Russian Defense Ministry statement said. | “At the same time, according to the coordinates provided by the Turkish side to the Russian Center for Reconciliation, there were no — and should not have been any — units of the Turkish armed forces in the area of Behun,” the Russian Defense Ministry statement said. |
| Syrian airstrike kills Turkish soldiers in Idlib, Turkish official says | Syrian airstrike kills Turkish soldiers in Idlib, Turkish official says |
| Turkey, a NATO member, convened an emergency meeting of the alliance’s ambassadors on Friday morning, stopping short of an attempt to invoke NATO’s all-for-one, one-for-all mutual defense pact but still drawing the group into the increasingly tense situation. | Turkey, a NATO member, convened an emergency meeting of the alliance’s ambassadors on Friday morning, stopping short of an attempt to invoke NATO’s all-for-one, one-for-all mutual defense pact but still drawing the group into the increasingly tense situation. |
| Under NATO’s founding treaty, any member can request consultations if it believes its security is under threat. It is only the sixth time in NATO’s 71-year history that a member has done so. | Under NATO’s founding treaty, any member can request consultations if it believes its security is under threat. It is only the sixth time in NATO’s 71-year history that a member has done so. |
| NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg spoke Thursday night to Turkish Foreign Minister Mehmet Cavusoglu. NATO said in a statement that “Stoltenberg condemned the continued indiscriminate airstrikes by the Syrian regime and its backer Russia in Idlib province.” | |
| Stoltenberg told reporters in Brussels on Friday after the meeting of ambassadors: “Allies offered their deepest condolences for the death of Turkish soldiers in last night’s bombing in Idlib and expressed full solidarity with Turkey. We call on Russia and the Assad regime to stop the attacks.” | Stoltenberg told reporters in Brussels on Friday after the meeting of ambassadors: “Allies offered their deepest condolences for the death of Turkish soldiers in last night’s bombing in Idlib and expressed full solidarity with Turkey. We call on Russia and the Assad regime to stop the attacks.” |
| Turkey has deployed thousands of troops in Syria to prevent the forces of President Bashar al-Assad from defeating anti-regime militias in Idlib. In recent days, Russian officials have repeatedly accused Turkey of breaching a 2018 cease-fire deal and accused it of using artillery strikes and attack drones to defend anti-regime militias, which Russia and Syrian consider terrorist groups. Idlib province is largely controlled by an extremist group that once had ties with al-Qaeda. | Turkey has deployed thousands of troops in Syria to prevent the forces of President Bashar al-Assad from defeating anti-regime militias in Idlib. In recent days, Russian officials have repeatedly accused Turkey of breaching a 2018 cease-fire deal and accused it of using artillery strikes and attack drones to defend anti-regime militias, which Russia and Syrian consider terrorist groups. Idlib province is largely controlled by an extremist group that once had ties with al-Qaeda. |
| Tensions in the region have escalated sharply as Russian-backed Syrian forces have advanced into Idlib, the last opposition stronghold, infuriating Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who fears that refugees fleeing the Syrian advance could spill across the border. | Tensions in the region have escalated sharply as Russian-backed Syrian forces have advanced into Idlib, the last opposition stronghold, infuriating Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who fears that refugees fleeing the Syrian advance could spill across the border. |
| Erdogan has threatened to escalate military attacks on Syria if its forces do not retreat. Talks between Moscow and Ankara to resolve the crisis have failed to produce a solution. | Erdogan has threatened to escalate military attacks on Syria if its forces do not retreat. Talks between Moscow and Ankara to resolve the crisis have failed to produce a solution. |
| The Syrian advance has caused a humanitarian crisis, as hundreds of thousands of displaced Syrians have fled their homes heading toward Turkey, many of them lacking adequate shelter. | The Syrian advance has caused a humanitarian crisis, as hundreds of thousands of displaced Syrians have fled their homes heading toward Turkey, many of them lacking adequate shelter. |
| Turkey and Russia back opposing sides in Syria’s civil war, with Russia supporting Assad’s regime and Turkey supporting opposition forces. The conflict has put increasing strain on the close relationship between Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin. | Turkey and Russia back opposing sides in Syria’s civil war, with Russia supporting Assad’s regime and Turkey supporting opposition forces. The conflict has put increasing strain on the close relationship between Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin. |
| Russia, which has two crucial military bases in Syria, has carried out airstrikes to aid the Syrian advance and provided Assad’s forces with other military support. | Russia, which has two crucial military bases in Syria, has carried out airstrikes to aid the Syrian advance and provided Assad’s forces with other military support. |
| A senior Turkish official announced Friday that Turkey would open its borders to allow Syrian refugees to freely spill into Europe, Reuters reported Friday, without naming the official. | A senior Turkish official announced Friday that Turkey would open its borders to allow Syrian refugees to freely spill into Europe, Reuters reported Friday, without naming the official. |
| “All refugees, including Syrians, are now welcome to cross into the European Union,” the official said. | “All refugees, including Syrians, are now welcome to cross into the European Union,” the official said. |
| Yury Shvytkin, deputy chairman of the Russian State Duma’s defense committee, accused Turkey of aggression against Syria and flagrant support for terrorists. | Yury Shvytkin, deputy chairman of the Russian State Duma’s defense committee, accused Turkey of aggression against Syria and flagrant support for terrorists. |
| “We will continue our effort to fight militants and terrorists together with al-Assad,” Shvytkin told Interfax news.,He added that it would be “inadmissible” for NATO to intervene. | |
| Putin and Erdogan spoke by phone and discussed the possibility of a meeting in coming days to try to cool tensions in the region, according to a statement from the Kremlin. | |
| The leaders agreed on the need to increase consultations and to improve communications between their militaries in northern Syria. They also agreed there was a need for steps to normalize the situation. | |
| “Serious concern about the escalation of tensions in Idlib, which has led to multiple casualties, including those among Turkish servicemen, was expressed,” the statement said. | |
| The call was initiated by the Turkish leader, the Kremlin said. | |
| Michael Birnbaum in Stockholm contributed to this report. | Michael Birnbaum in Stockholm contributed to this report. |
| Syrian airstrike kills Turkish soldiers in Idlib, Turkish official says | Syrian airstrike kills Turkish soldiers in Idlib, Turkish official says |
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