Russia-backed Syrian troops repel attacks of Turkey-supported militants: Russian military

Militants supported by artillery fire of the Turkish Armed Forces managed to break through the defense of the Syrian army.

MOSCOW - Syrian government troops covered by Russian warplanes on Thursday repelled several massive attacks of militants supported by Turkey in Syria's Idlib, according to the Russian military.

Militants supported by artillery fire of the Turkish Armed Forces managed to break through the defense of the Syrian army, the Russian Center for Reconciliation of the Warring Parties in Syria said in a statement.

To prevent the militants from moving deeper into the Syrian territory, Russia's Su-24 attack aircraft delivered a blow against them, the statement said.

The airstrikes allowed the Syrian government troops to repel all the militant attacks and destroy one tank, six infantry fighting vehicles and five pickups armed with large-caliber weapons, it said.

According to the statement, the Turkish troops stopped shelling after receiving Russian information that four Syrian soldiers were injured by their artillery fire.

The Russian military urged the Turkish side to stop supporting the militants and halt supplying weapons to them in order to avoid future incidents.