Briefly

SYRIA

Ankara sends more army equipment into Idlib

A convoy of 30 Turkish military vehicles entered Syria's northern Idlib Province on Sunday, a war monitor reported. The military convoy carried logistical and military equipment, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The UK-based watchdog said 2,980 items of Turkish military equipment have entered Idlib since March 5, when Russia and Turkey established a cease-fire deal in Idlib between the rebels and the Syrian army. The Syrian government has repeatedly called for the withdrawal of foreign forces that entered Syria without the consent of the Syrian government, such as the Turkish forces and those from the US.

VENEZUELA

8 'mercenaries' killed as incursion foiled

Venezuela's government said on Sunday that it had foiled an incursion from the sea, killing eight members of a group of alleged mercenaries bent on "terrorist acts" aimed at overthrowing President Nicolas Maduro's government. Interior Minister Nestor Reverol said the group tried to land aboard fast boats before dawn in the northern coastal state of La Guaira but were intercepted by the military and special police units. "Thanks to the opportune, effective action of our Bolivarian Armed Forces and special police action forces of the National Bolivarian Police, some were shot down and some were detained," said Reverol, speaking on state television. According to Reverol, the group planned to carry out terrorist attacks, including assassinations of government leaders. The plan aimed "to increase the spiral of violence, generate chaos and confusion ... and with that lead to a new attempt at a coup d'etat," he said.

Xinhua - Agencies