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A Turkish soldier identified as Mecit Demir has been killed in a bombing in Idlib, the governor's office of the southern Turkish Gaziantep province said in a Twitter post.Meanwhile, France and Germany are calling for a ceasefire:
Most recently, Turkish artillery struck Syrian positions as militants launched a "major offensive" to retake lost ground. The barrage ceased, though, when Moscow contacted Ankara. The Syrian Army supported by the Russian Air Force also managed to repel the attack.
Moscow also stepped up its diplomatic efforts to ease tensions on the ground. Yet, despite the "intensified contacts" between presidents Vladimir Putin and Recep Tayip Erdogan, the fight in Idlib has showed no signs of waning so far.
French President Emmanuel Macron said he and German Chancellor Angela Merkel were calling on parties to the Syrian conflict to respect the ceasefire in the province of Idlib amid the ongoing escalation of tensions in the region.
"We believe that this situation could be settled only via a call for an immediate cessation of hostilities", Macron said at a press conference in Brussels on late Friday. He described the situation in Idlib as dangerous, adding that the current hostilities may result in a further uncontrolled escalation of violence."We know that today Idlib is facing a humanitarian disaster amid the ongoing offensive of the forces loyal to the Syrian regime, backed by Russia", the French leader said, adding that the hostilities left some hospitals and offices of non-governmental organizations ruined.Macron also called for resuming the political settlement and Istanbul-format talks, which involve France, Germany, Russia and Turkey.
ANNA video released on the 21st.
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