Damascus presses Idlib attack, artillery hits Turkish position

Syrian government forces and Russian forces pounded the rebel-held northwest of Syria with air strikes on Saturday, as artillery hit a Turkish military position there, underlining the risk of wider escalation.

The upsurge in violence in Idlib and nearby areas in the last five days has strained a Russian-Turkish deal that has staved off a government offensive since September. The area is part of the last major foothold of the Syrian rebellion.

Rescue workers in the rebel-held area say dozens of people have been killed and thousands forced to flee by bombardments. The United Nations has said the attacks have included the worst use of barrel bombs in 15 months.

The Turkish defense ministry said two Turkish soldiers were lightly wounded by the shelling, which was believed to have been launched from Syrian government-held territory.

The presence of Turkish forces in the northwest and Russian understandings with Ankara have complicated any offensive into the region, home to some three million people.

Turkey, already hosting 3.6 million Syrian refugees and hoping to avoid another influx, has established a dozen military positions in Idlib and nearby areas in agreement with Russia.

The Turkish defense ministry said the soldiers wounded in Saturday's shelling were sent to Turkey for treatment.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said last week he did not rule out Syrian forces, backed by Russian air power, launching a full-scale assault on militants in Idlib, but such an operation was impractical for now.

Syrian state media says government forces are attacking jihadists in the northwest. State news agency SANA said the army had destroyed jihadist positions in southern Idlib and nearby Hama province on Saturday, in response to what it called repeated violations of a de-escalation agreement.