The 2019 Syrian-Turkish clashes were an armed military confrontation between the Syrian armed forces and the Turkish army during an offensive launched by the Syrian government in April 2019.
| 2019 Syrian-Turkish clashes | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Northwestern Syria offensive (April 2019–present) of the Syrian Civil War | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
 SyriaSupported by:  Russia |
 Turkey | ||||||
| Units involved | |||||||
| Syrian Arab Army | Turkish Armed Forces | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
|
1 killed 3 injured | |||||||
Timeline
On 13 June 2019, during an ongoing offensive by the Syrian government against rebels in Idlib and Hama, the Turkish military reported that its observation forces stationed in the area as part of demilitarization agreement between Russia, Turkey and Iran came under fire from pro-government forces.
The Turkish minister of defense stated that in the attack, the Syrian military fired 35 mortar shells and that 3 Turkish soldiers were injured as a result. Afterwards the Russian government claimed that a cease-fire had been established between Turkey, Russia, the rebels and the Syrian government, however the rebels and Turkish government denied a cease-fire had been implemented.[1]
Following the incidents Turkey's foreign minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu stated the attacks were intentional, the Turkish government also stated the Turkish military would retaliate to any attacks on their positions in Syria.[2]
After the response from the Turkish government and the confrontation with the Syrian military, the Russia denied the Syrian government was involved in the attacks, blaming the Syrian rebels instead calling them "terrorists", and accused the rebels of attacking Turkish positions, the Russian government also claimed that the Turkish government had asked the Russian military for help in protecting Turkish forces in Idlib and that the Turkish government had given the coordinates of rebel positions to the Russian military, which was denied by Turkey.[3][4]
On 14 June, following continued standoffs between Turkey and Syria, the Turkish military deployed reinforcements to its positions in Idlib.[5]
On 16 June, the Turkish government claimed that the Syrian military had continued to attack Turkish positions, Turkey retaliated by firing artillery at Syrian government forces.[6][7]
References
- ^ https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/06/turkey-syrian-forces-hit-observation-tower-syria-idlib-190613075813748.html
- ^ http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkey-says-syrian-government-forces-attacked-its-observation-point-144148
- ^ https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-syria-security-northwest-russia-idUKKCN1TE1QG
- ^ https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/turkey-asks-russia-for-help-after-its-troops-come-under-heavy-fire-in-idlib/
- ^ https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/turkey-retaliates-against-regime-attack-in-syrias-idlib/1505501#
- ^ https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/turkey-retaliates-against-regime-attack-in-syrias-idlib/1505501
- ^ https://in.reuters.com/article/syria-security-turkey-idINKCN1TH05N