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Turkey will not let Syria's government gain more ground in the opposition stronghold of Idlib province, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says, according to BBC report

Mr Erdogan told reporters that Russian-backed pro-government forces were "driving innocent and grieving people in Idlib towards our borders".

Mr Erdogan's warning came after eight Turkish military personnel were killed.

Turkey's defence ministry said seven soldiers and one civilian died in Idlib on Monday when they were shelled by the Syrian army despite being told of their position. In response, Turkish forces "neutralised" 76 Syrian soldiers, it added.

The source reminds that Turkish military has deployed troops to Idlib to monitor a 2017 de-escalation agreement brokered by Turkey and Russia that has been reportedly violated. It was hoped the agreement would avert a government assault that the UN said threatened to create the worst humanitarian catastrophe of the 21st Century.