Turkish soldier killed by regime fire in Syria’s Idlib

ISTANBUL: One Turkish soldier died on Saturday after shelling by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad´s regime on the last rebel holdout of Idlib, the defence ministry said.

"One of our heroic comrades was injured as a result of tank fire by the regime on our elements who are in the Idlib region to ensure a ceasefire but fell martyr when he was being taken to a hospital," the ministry said on Twitter. The latest casualty brings the number of Turkish personnel killed in clashes in Idlib this month to 17.

The Turkish military retaliated and destroyed 21 regime targets following "the despicable attack", the ministry added.

Ahead of the attack, Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar spoke by phone with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Shoigu, to discuss ways of finding a solution to the problem in Idlib, the ministry said.

The latest incident comes two days after two Turkish soldiers were killed in an air strike in the Idlib region blamed by Ankara on the regime in Damascus.