Turkish civilian martyred, 2 injured in Idlib, Syria

By Yildiz Nevin Gundogmus

ANKARA

A civilian support worker for the Turkish Armed Forces was martyred in a terrorist car bomb attack on a military convoy in Syria’s northwestern Idlib province, the Turkish General Staff said Tuesday.

In a statement, the military said terrorists detonated a vehicle while a Turkish military convoy deployed in Idlib as part of an international agreement to establish de-escalation zones was passing through.

The statement also said a Turkish soldier and another civilian worker were injured in the explosion.

The military also offered its condolences to the martyred civilian's family and wished a speedy recovery to the wounded.

On his Twitter account, Turkish Forestry and Water Minister Veysel Eroglu said the martyred civilian worked at the ministry.

“Today, a member of the General Directorate of State Hydraulic Works, Yasin Tanboga, who joined Operation Olive Branch, was martyred. Mahmut Pakyurek was seriously injured and specialized sergeant Omer Gunes was injured slightly. We wish God’s mercy for the martyred staff and a speedy recovery for the injured. We wish condolences to his family and to our nation.”

The deployment in the northwestern region was launched last October under a deal reached with Russia and Iran during the Syrian peace talks in the Kazakh capital Astana.

The establishment of de-escalation zones was agreed to in May between Turkey, which backs groups opposed to Syria's Bashar al-Assad regime, and Russia and Iran, who support the regime.