Confusion reigns over what has happened in the past few hours between the Turkish army and the Syrian government forces in Syria’s Idlib province, where the military campaign against Takfiri terrorists continues.

AFP news agency cited Turkish media as saying that Turkey raided Syrian Army positions in Idlib Monday, in response to the Syrian fire that claimed lives of Turkish soldiers.

Five Turkish soldiers and a civilian attached to the army were killed on Monday by Syrian forces’ shelling in the northwestern province.

“Our F-16 aircraft and artillery are currently bombing targets defined by our intelligence services” in response to the Syrian shelling, said Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at a press conference in Istanbul.

Meanwhile, reports on the number of casualties among the ranks of the Syrian Army were conflicting. AFP reported that 30 to 35 Syrian soldiers were killed, while the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights put the number at 13.

However, the Russian Defense denied there have been Turkish air raids against Syrian Army positions, assuring that Turkish planes have not violated Syrian airspace over IdlIb province which is under control Russian forces.

This narrative is close to that of SANA news agency which reported that there was sporadic fire between the Syrian and the Turkish sides, but denied there were casualties among the ranks of the Syrian Army.

The exchange of fire comes as the Syrian Army has intensified for several weeks their offensive in this province and in the western regions of the province of Aleppo, to clear the area of Nusra Front terrorists.

After having liberated the key town of Maarat al-Noaman, then that of Khan Touman, the Syrian Army is now advancing towards Saraqeb.

Source: Agencies