An air strike on 27 February killed 33 Turkish troops deployed in northwestern Syria, marking Turkey’s deadliest day in the Syrian conflict at that point.

What happened

The soldiers were operating in Idlib, where Syrian government forces backed by Russia were advancing against opposition-held territory. Ankara responded with attacks on Syrian military targets and called urgent consultations with NATO allies.

Why it mattered

The deaths brought Turkey and Russia close to direct confrontation despite their diplomatic coordination. They also intensified concern for civilians displaced toward the Turkish border by the offensive.

Consequences

Presidents Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Vladimir Putin later negotiated a ceasefire in Moscow. The incident demonstrated how quickly competing military deployments in Idlib could trigger a wider crisis.

Sources

• Reuters
• NATO