ISLAMABAD – The so-called Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says at leastseven Syrian army soldiers have been killed when fierce exchanges ofgunfire broke out between government troops and Turkish military forces andtheir allied militants near Syria’s key northeastern border town ofRa’s al-Ayn.
The Britain-based war monitor link reportedon Tuesday that “heavy fighting erupted for the first time between theSyrian army on one side and Turkish forces and their proxies on the other,”adding that seven Syrian soldiers were killed and 14 others injured in theprocess, Press TV has reported.
The Observatory said Turkish-backed militants, under the cover of heavy andviolent Turkish fire power and backed by Turkish unmanned aerial vehicles,engaged in skirmishes with Syrian army troops in the areas of al-Arishah,Bab al-Khair and Um Oshbah.
The development came only two days after a similar encounter near Ra’sal-Ayn.
Syria’s official news agency SANA reported the fighting on Sundayafternoon, saying that the clashes took place after the area came underattack from the Turkish side.