Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu (R) shakes hands with French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian at a press conference in Ankara, Turkey, on June 13, 2019. The recent attack on a Turkish observation post in the northwestern Syrian province of Idlib was "deliberate," Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Thursday. (Xinhua/Qin Yanyang)
ANKARA, June 13 (Xinhua) -- The recent attack on a Turkish observation post in the northwestern Syrian province of Idlib was "deliberate," Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Thursday.
"We think that the attack is intentional. We will do whatever necessary if the attack continues," Cavusoglu said during a joint press conference with his French counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian in Ankara.
Turkish Defense Ministry said earlier Thursday that a Turkish observation point in Idlib was targeted by 35 mortar rounds from the Syrian government forces, injuring three Turkish soldiers.
"Turkey is working hard with Russia to stop these attacks," Cavusoglu said, adding that it is not possible to say a complete cease-fire has been secured.
Last year, Russia and Turkey sealed an Idlib agreement to set up a demilitarized zone with a depth of 15-20 km between the armed opposition and the government troops in Syria's Idlib.
Turkey has established 12 observation points from Idlib's north to south in order to monitor and sustain the cease-fire to prevent the mass influx of refugees.
