Syrian War: New clashes in Idlib, 51 Assad soldiers killed, Turkish government source

(Patria) - Turkish officials announced that 51 Syrian soldiers were killed in northeastern Syria when Turkish-backed rebels clashed with regime forces of Bashar al-Assad, supported by Russia.

Turkey's Ministry of Defense cited sources on the ground, stating that two Syrian tanks and an ammunition depot were also destroyed.

Just a few hours earlier, one of the war monitors reported that Syrian government forces had taken control of the main Aleppo-Damascus highway passing through the war-torn northwestern province of Idlib, for the first time since the start of the Syrian war in 2012.

Reuters reports that Syrian state media did not mention this, while rebel forces later stated that fighting continued in the northern areas near the M-5 highway connecting Aleppo with Damascus, as well as with Daraa in the far south of the country.

In response, rebel forces shot down a Syrian military helicopter and made a breakthrough towards Nairab, which the Turkish Ministry of Defense claims has been abandoned by Syrian government forces.

Turkish President Erdogan announced on Wednesday that the Turkish army would attack Syrian regime forces from the air or on the ground for every wounded Turkish soldier.

He also stated that he is determined to push Syrian government forces behind Turkish observation posts in Syria's Idlib province by the end of February, and also warned the rebels - his allies - not to give Syrian regime forces a reason to attack, writes Reuters.