Russia presents evidence of Syria shelling by Turkey

The Russian Defense Ministry has released video footage which it says is “irrefutable proof” that Turkish troops shell Syria with heavy artillery.

“This is what we call a fact. This is irrefutable proof that Turkish armed forces shell borderline Syrian settlements with large-caliber artillery systems,” said Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Major General Igor Konashenkov at a press conference on Monday.

He noted that the footage was obtained by Syria’s General Staff and handed over to Russian forces. He added that further video evidence of Turkish shelling has also been provided by Syrian opposition groups.

Konashenkov also called for an “immediate reaction and explanation” by NATO and the Pentagon on the Turkish military shelling.

Earlier, Syrian media claimed that a soldier had been killed and five others injured after Turkish forces stationed along the border shelled a troop gathering in the Jabal Atirah region of the western Syrian province of Latakia.

Syrian government forces and allied fighters, supported by the Russian air force, have recently made major gains in Latakia, where Turkey supports militants from Syria’s ethnic Turkmens fighting against the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

The Russian Defense Ministry official also announced that Russian jets had destroyed 1,300 terrorist targets in 468 sorties carried out in Syria during the last week.

He noted that most of the raids were conducted using Tu-22M3 bombers and were focused on the city of Dayr al-Zawr, which militants are attempting to regain.

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