Syria's Military Reports Heavy Losses Against Rebels

Syria's military said in a statement on Friday that its forces are repelling a major offensive by militant groups in Aleppo and Idlib countryside, inflicting heavy losses on the attackers.

Clashes between rebels and government forces in northwest Syria have resulted in an undesirable escalation of tensions in the region, Turkey's foreign ministry said.

In a statement, spokesperson Oncu Keceli said that avoiding greater instability in the region was Turkey's priority, adding that Ankara had warned that recent attacks on Idlib, a rebel-held region in the northwest, undermined the spirit and implementation of de-escalation agreements.