The Latest: Russia says attack on its Syria base injures 4
DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — The Latest on developments in northern Syria (all times local):
6:30 p.m.
Russia's military says militants fired three unguided rockets at its air base in Syria, injuring four civilians but causing no damage to the facility.
The Russian defense ministry said Monday that the rockets hit a village near the Hmeimeem air base in Latakia province on Syria's Mediterranean coast.
The attack comes as the Syrian army says it will resume its offensive on the northwestern Idlib province, the last opposition-held stronghold, accusing insurgents of violating a recent truce.
The cease fire, which went into effect Aug. 1, marked a brief pause in the stalled three-month offensive against al-Qaida-linked militants and other jihadi groups that dominate Idlib and surrounding areas.
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4:45 p.m.
The Syrian army says it will resume its offensive on the rebel-held northwestern Idlib province, accusing insurgents of violating a recent truce.
In a statement carried by state media Monday, the army said militants in the country's last major rebel stronghold had continued to break the cease fire, which went into effect late Aug. 1.
State media and opposition activists have reported repeated violations of the truce by both sides since then.
The cease fire marked a brief pause in the stalled government offensive against al-Qaida-linked militants and other jihadi groups, which dominate Idlib and surrounding areas.
The assault on the enclave began April 30, displacing more than 400,000 people and killing hundreds. Around 3 million people are living inside the rebel-held area.
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1:30 p.m.
Turkish and American military officials have met for negotiations about establishing a safe zone in northeastern Syria to address Ankara's concerns about U.S-allied Syrian Kurdish forces in that region.
The Turkish defense ministry tweeted on Monday that the meetings were taking place in Ankara.
Turkey wants to control — in coordination with the U.S. — a 19-25 mile-deep zone within Syria, east of the Euphrates River, and wants no Syrian Kurdish forces there. Turkey sees the Syrian Kurdish fighters as terrorists aligned with a Kurdish insurgency within Turkey.
American troops are stationed in northeastern Syria, along with the Kurdish forces, and have fought the Islamic State group together.
Turkish-U.S. negotiations on the safe zone have stalled and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday renewed threats for a new military operation.
