1 Turkish Soldier Killed in Explosion along Syria’s M4 Highway
Arab World
Asharq Al-Awsat
One Turkish soldier has died from an explosion along the M4 highway in Syria’s Idlib, the last opposition stronghold in the country. In a statement Wednesday, the Turkish defense ministry said the soldier was wounded in an explosion and died later in a hospital. It said the explosion took place in an area about 250 meters (820 feet) south of a road patrolled by Turkish forces. The cause of the explosion was not immediately clear. Video footage posted online showed smoke billowing from a building along the M4 highway before a large explosion along the road where the patrol was taking place. Turkey and Russia, which back opposing sides in Syria’s war, agreed on a ceasefire on March 5 following weeks of clashes that brought them to the brink of direct confrontation. Ankara backs opposition factions fighting against Bashar Assad’s regime, and Moscow supports Damascus. Fighting in Idlib, which escalated starting in December, has displaced nearly a million people and raised concerns of a fresh wave of migrants towards Turkey, which currently hosts nearly 4 million refugees. Since the deal, Turkey and Russia have conducted 12 patrols along the M4, some of which were cut short due to security concerns, according to Russia’s Defense Ministry. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan last month accused Assad’s forces of violating the ceasefire, warning that they would suffer “heavy losses” if it persisted. He added that Ankara would not allow any “dark groups” in the region to violate the ceasefire either. At least 66 Turkish soldiers have been killed in Idlib this year.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2304951/1-turkish-soldier-killed-explosion-along-syria%E2%80%99s-m4-highway
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