Operation Euphrates Shield

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan will meet his Polish counterpart Andrzej Duda on May 24 to discuss bilateral relations and regional developments.

Duda will pay an official visit to Turkey upon Erdoğan's invitation on May 24, according to a statement by Turkey's Communications Directorate.

Turkish security forces have killed an alleged high-ranking PKK terrorist in an operation in northern Iraq, Turkey's president said on May 17. 

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said after a Cabinet meeting that the slain terrorist was responsible for the Syria operations of the outlawed PKK.

He identified him by his codename, Sofi Nurettin, and said he was a Syrian national.

A Turkish soldier was killed and four others wounded in an attack on a supply convoy in northern Syria, Turkey's National Defense Ministry said early on May 11. 

"In the Operation Spring Shield zone, one of our hero fellow soldiers was martyred and four of our heroic fellow soldiers were injured in the rocket attack on our supply convoy on May 10, 2021," the ministry said on Twitter.

Russian-Turkish relations are very rich, both in terms of contacts at the highest level and their substantive agenda, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on March 31. 

Speaking at a meeting of the Moscow-based think tank Valdai Discussion Club, Lavrov said the two countries are able to bring out solutions, even on issues on which the parties have almost opposite views.

Rockets fired from across the border with Syria fell in Turkey's southern Kilis province, the country's National Defense Ministry said late on March 18. 

"Rockets determined to be fired from Syria fell on an empty field in Kilis. No citizens were injured and no damage or loss occurred in the incident," the ministry said on Twitter.

A missile strike targeting Turkish-controlled northern Syria wounded several civilians, the Turkish Defense Ministry said on early March 15, noting that Russia was notified to halt the firing.

Ballistic missiles fired from Syrian regime-controlled Kuweires airport in Aleppo have targeted civilian settlements and parking lots for fuel tankers in northern Jarablus and al-Bab districts, with civilian casualties reported, Turkey's National Defense Ministry said early on March 15.

Turkey has saluted the continued struggle of the Syrian people for democracy, justice and freedoms in a statement on the 10th anniversary of the civil war, underlining its anti-terror struggle against ISIL and the YPG will also endure.

Three YPG/PKK terrorists in possession of $2 million were arrested in northern Syria, Turkish security sources said on March 6.

The suspects were gathering information for the terror group on security forces deployed in the region, said the sources, requesting anonymity due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

The Astana Group, comprised of Turkey, Russia and Iran, has expressed concerns over the rising terror attacks against the civilians in northern Syria, while drawing attention to separatist agendas that threaten the security of Syria and neighboring countries.