Russia, Turkey want ‘reduction in tensions’ in Syria: Russian FM

Russia, Turkey want ‘reduction in tensions’ in Syria: Russian FM
February 29, 2020, 9:23 am

Turkish troops drive their tanks on September 4, 2016 on a road near the Syrian village of al-Waqf and some 3km south of al-Rai, the small border town with Turkey. (File photo AFP)

Moscow and Ankara expressed hope for a “reduction in tensions” in Syria during high-level talks between both sides, Russia’s foreign ministry said Saturday.

“On both sides, the focus has been on reducing tensions on the ground while continuing to fight terrorists recognized by the United Nations Security Council,” Moscow’s foreign ministry said in a statement.

Tensions surged after 33 Turkish soldiers died in an airstrike in Syria on Thursday.

Turkey reprised and killed 20 Syrian soldiers later on Friday with drone and artillery strikes hitting Syrian army positions in southern and eastern parts of the province which were recaptured by the government in a nearly three-month-old offensive against the enclave, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

At least 16 regime fighters died in those strikes, while another four were killed by artillery fire on positions in neighboring Aleppo province, the Observatory added.

source: AFP

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