A Russian soldier was killed on Monday as a Turkish drone targeted a Russian personnel carrier in northern Syria’s Aleppo (Heleb) countryside, further escalating tensions in the already volatile region, reported Efrin News 24.
Four Russian soldiers were also seriously injured in the bombardment, according to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR).
The wounded Russian troops were transported to Afrin (Efrîn) Hospital in the Aleppo countryside before being transferred to another medical facility, a source told local news agency North Press.
Turkish forces and allied Syrian National Army (SNA) factions also bombarded the outskirts of the town of Tel Rifaat (Til Rifat), approximately 35 kilometres north of Aleppo, while a Turkish drone conducted surveillance flights in the area, Efrin News reported earlier today.
Tel Rifaat has served as a refuge for displaced people from Afrin since Turkey took control of the region in 2018. The town, along with other populated zones in the Shahba region, have experienced frequent Turkish bombing and shelling, creating a continuous atmosphere of insecurity and danger for the local population.
On Saturday Turkish drone strikes in northern Aleppo claimed the lives of three People’s Protection Units (YPG) fighters and left two others wounded.