NATO calls on Russia, Syria to halt Idlib offensive

BRUSSELS, Feb 28 (Agencies): NATO's secretary-general called on Russia and Syria on Friday to halt the offensive in Idlib and said, after a meeting of the alliance's ambassadors that NATO stood in solidarity with Turkey.
"We call on Russia and the Syria regime to stop the attacks, to stop the indiscriminate air attacks ... we also call on Russia and Syria to fully respect the international law," Jens Stoltenberg told a news conference.
"We call on Syria and Russia to fully engage in UN-led efforts to find a peaceful solution for the conflict in Syria."
The statements come as conflict in the region escalated, with at least 33 Turkish soldiers killed in an airstrike blamed on Damascus.
NATO earlier said they were holding emergency talks on Friday in the wake of the incident.
"The North Atlantic Council, which includes the ambassadors of all 29 NATO allies, will meet on Friday 28 February following a request by Turkey to hold consultations under article 4 of NATO's founding Washington Treaty on the situation in Syria," the alliance said in a statement.
Under Article 4, any NATO member can request talks when they believe their "territorial integrity, political independence or security" is threatened.
It is separate from the alliance's Article 5 mutual self-defence pact, which refers to an attack on any members' territory.
Dozens more Turkish troops were injured in the air strike in Syria's northwestern Idlib province, where President Bashar Assad is seeking to wipe out the last rebel stronghold.
The losses come after weeks of growing tensions between Ankara and Damascus ally Moscow, and bring to 53 the number of Turkish security personnel killed in the province this month.
NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg urged de-escalation and condemned the "indiscriminate" air strikes in a phone call with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu.
A BBC report adds: At least 33 Turkish soldiers have died in a Syrian government attack in opposition-held north-western Syria, in a major escalation of the conflict.
Turkey, which backs the opposition, says it hit 200 government targets in response, "neutralising" 309 soldiers.
Russia, Syria's key military ally, says Turkish troops were attacked in Idlib province by Syrian forces while operating alongside jihadist fighters.
It denies its own forces were involved in fighting in the Balyun area. Government forces, supported by Russia, have been trying to retake Idlib from jihadist groups and Turkish-backed rebel factions based there. The air strike came after the opposition retook the key town of Saraqeb, north-east of Balyun.
Idlib is the last Syrian province to remain in opposition hands. Reports suggest Turkey, a key member of the Nato alliance, may be relaxing its border controls to allow Syrian refugees to seek refuge in the EU.
What do we know about the attack?
"Thirty-three of our soldiers were martyred as a result of the air strike... by the forces of the [Bashar al-]Assad regime," said Rahmi Dogan, the governor of Turkey's neighbouring Hatay province. Those wounded were being treated in hospital in Turkey but none were in a critical condition, he added.