Turkey requests Russian aid after its troops come under shelling in Idlib

Moscow’s assistance to Turkey

MOSCOW, June 13. /TASS/: Ankara requested Moscow’s assistance to ensure security of its military after terrorists shelled a Turkish military observation point in Syria’s Idlib, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Thursday.

Overnight to June 13, terrorists shelled from artillery weapons an observation point of Turkey’s military forces located near the Jabal Zawiya highland region in the Idlib province, the ministry said.

"Amid the threat to the life of its personnel, the Turkish command turned to the Russian Center for Reconciliation of the Opposing Sides, requesting assistance in ensuring security of its military and carrying out strikes against the terrorists’ positions," the statement said.

The Defense Ministry said eaerlier that Russian Aerospace Force eliminated large group of militants who shelled positions of Turkish Armed Forces in Idlib. 

Earlier on Thursday, the Turkish Defense Ministry reported that at least three Turkish servicemen were wounded during the shelling against their positions in the Idlib de-escalation zone. According to reports on Wednesday, at Russia’s request an agreement on a complete ceasefire in the entire de-escalation zone was reached from midnight on June 12, which was brokered by Moscow and Ankara. Tensions in the Idlib de-escalation zone have subsided in the past 24 hours as a result of the ceasefire deal, the head of the Russian Center for Reconciliation of the Opposing Sides in Syria, Maj. Gen. Viktor Kupchishin, said.