Russian, Turkish soldiers injured in bomb attack during joint patrol in Syria

Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-14 21:54:32|Editor: huaxia

Military vehicles are seen during a joint patrol of Turkish and Russian troops in northwestern Idlib province of Syria, on May 28, 2020. (Xinhua)

The patrol has been suspended and damaged equipment is being evacuated.

MOSCOW, July 14 (Xinhua) -- Russian and Turkish troops were injured after an improvised bomb exploded Tuesday during a joint patrol in the Idlib de-escalation zone in Syria, the Russian military has said.

The wounded Russian troops were delivered to the Russian-run Hmeymim air base in the Syrian province of Latakia, where they received medical care, the Russian Center for Reconciliation of the Warring Parties in Syria said in a statement.

At present, the patrol has been suspended and damaged equipment is being evacuated, according to the statement.

The command group of the Russian forces in Syria, the Turkish military and Syrian security agencies are checking the involvement of militants operating in the Idlib de-escalation zone in the bomb attack, it said.

The explosion occured on the M4 highway in the southern part of the Idlib de-escalation zone. The key highway, located about 30 km from the southern border of Turkey, links Aleppo to Latakia in Syria.

On March 5, Turkey and Russia sealed a deal to maintain a temporary cease-fire for "all military actions along the line of contact in the Idlib de-escalation area" and envisaged the establishment of a security corridor six km to the north and six km to the south of the M4 highway, after nearly 60 Turkish soldiers were killed in escalated tensions between the Syrian government and Turkish troops in the region.

Joint Turkish-Russian patrols began on March 15 along the M4 highway as part of the deal.

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