ISLAMABAD - The so-called Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says at least seven Syrian army soldiers have been killed when fierce exchanges of gunfire broke out between government troops and Turkish military forces and their allied militants near Syria’s key northeastern border town of Ra's al-Ayn.
The Britain-based war monitor link reported on Tuesday that “heavy fighting erupted for the first time between the Syrian 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 the process, Press TV has reported.
The Observatory said Turkish-backed militants, under the cover of heavy and violent 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’s al-Ayn.
Syria’s official news agency SANA reported the fighting on Sunday afternoon, saying that the clashes took place after the area came under attack from the Turkish side.