DAMASCUS, March 1 (Xinhua) -- Two Syrian warplanes were shot down by the Turkish forces in Syria's northwestern province of Idlib on Sunday, state news agency SANA reported.
The two pilots parachuted their planes and they are fine, said the report.
Meanwhile, SANA said the Turkish forces also targeted the Jamiyet al-Zahra area in Aleppo with missiles.
The attacks happened as Turkey announced Operation Spring Shield against the Syrian government forces in Idlib in the wake of the killing of 34 Turkish soldiers by Syrian forces on Thursday.
Turkey's Defense Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said Sunday that Turkey's only target during the operation would be Syrian soldiers and elements in Idlib under the right to self-defense.
He noted that Turkey does not aim a face-off with Russia, the Syrian government main backer.
He urged Russia to use its influence on the Syrian government forces to stop their attacks in Idlib.
Since December, the Syrian forces have been on a wide-scale offensive against the ultra-radical rebels in Idlib province, the country's last rebel stronghold, which borders Turkey.
It's worth noting that thousands of Turkish soldiers are deployed inside rebel-held areas of Idlib.
On Thursday, at least 34 Turkish soldiers were killed in airstrikes in Idlib, which Turkey blamed on the Syrian government.
The incident marked a serious escalation between the Turkish and Syrian forces and raised the prospect of an all-out confrontation between both sides.
