Turkey in Talks With Russia on Release of 18 Captured Syrian Troops

Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar, on a visit to inspect Turkish forces in Tell Abiad, Syria, on the Turkish border, said Thursday that Ankara was in negotiations with Moscow for the release to Russia of 18 Syrian government soldiers that Turkey had captured in operations in northeast Syria. Turkey’s Defense Ministry said Tuesday in a message on Twitter that it had captured the 18 Syrian troops southwest of Ras al-Ain. Two of the captured Syrian soldiers were wounded during the operation. Earlier on Tuesday, Turkey-backed Syrian rebels said they had arrested an undisclosed number of Syrian soldiers near Tell Hawa, near Ras al-Ain.