ISTANBUL (Reuters) – Turkey’s Defence Ministry said on Thursday that two of its soldiers were killed in Syria’s northwestern province of Idlib in a rocket attack by “some radical groups”.
One other soldier was wounded in the attack, the ministry said, adding that its forces had opened fire on targets in the area.
Turkey, which backs rebels opposed to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, agreed a ceasefire with Russia two weeks ago after months of fighting displaced nearly 1 million people in Idlib. Moscow supports Syrian government forces.
The two were the first Turkish soldiers killed in Idlib since the ceasefire was implemented.
Earlier on Thursday, Turkey’s defence ministry said one of its soldiers had died as a result of a heart attack in Idlib. The soldier was preparing for night duties on Wednesday when he had the heart attack, it said.
Reporting by Ali Kucukgocmen; writing by Dominic Evans; editing by Angus MacSwan and Grant McCool