Turkish artillery returns fire 'in kind' into Syria: military sources (Reuters)
Turkish artillery has returned fire "in kind" into Syria, military sources have told Reuters this morning.
This is the fourth day in a row that Turkey has carried out shelling across the border and comes after Turkish prime minister Ahmet Davutoglu warned fighters from the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia on Feb. 15 that they would face the "harshest reaction" if they tried to capture the border town of Azaz.
How the Russian press is framing yesterday's attacks on Syrian hospitals
Moscow has not yet officially responded to the accusations from France and Turkey that Russian planes carried out airstrikes on hospitals in northern Syria.
But pro-Kremlin RIA Novosti hints at what Russia's response will be -- denial, and the narrative that "all sides are blaming each other" -- in its opening headline this morning, "The shelling of hospitals in Syria: the search for culprits and mutual recriminations."
RIA reports on the "tragedy in the north (of Syria)" but says that "those responsible for shelling northern areas of Syria, which led to the destruction of hospitals and the deaths of 50 civilians, have not yet been identified."
"Allegations about involvement in the attacks of both parties in the Syrian conflict were heard from Damascus, Ankara and Washington," RIA adds.
Assad says Syria ceasefire will be 'difficult' to implement
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has said that a ceasefire proposal put forward by the United States and Russia on Feb. 12 would be "difficult" to implement.
Deutsche Welle reports Assad's comments:
"They are saying they want a ceasefire in a week. Who is capable of gathering all the conditions and requirements in a week? No one," Assad told lawyers during a televised speech at Syria's Bar Association in Damascus.
"Who will talk to the terrorists? If a terrorist group refuses the ceasefire, who will hold them to account? Practically, talking (about a ceasefire) is difficult," the Syrian president said.
"Regarding a ceasefire, a halt to operations, if it happened, it doesn't mean that each party will stop using weapons," said Assad.
"A ceasefire must mean stopping terrorists from strengthening their positions. Moving weapons, equipment, terrorists or strengthening positions must all be forbidden," the Syrian president added.
France, Turkey say air strikes on Syria hospitals are war crimes
France and Turkey have said that air strikes on hospitals in northern Syria are war crimes, with Turkey's foreign ministry blaming Russia for the attacks, the BBC reports this morning.
At least 12 people were killed in Azaz and the surrounding area yesterday, with two hospitals and two schools reportedly hit.
In Maarat al-Numan in Idlib province a hospital supported by medical NGO Doctors Without Borders (MSF ) was reduced to rubble.
Seven people were killed and another eight are still missing MSF said, calling it a "deliberate" attack.
Syrian envoy in Moscow blames U.S. for attacks on MSF hospital
The Syrian Ambassador to Moscow, Riad Haddad, has said that U.S. planes carried out the airstrikes that destroyed a hospital operated by Doctors Without Borders, Reuters reports.
Haddad told the Rossiya 24 TV channel that the hospital was destroyed by "the American Air Force. The Russian Air Force has nothing to do it with."
Kurdish-led SDF: Turkish strikes won't stop us advancing to Azaz -- Syria Direct
The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) militia are gaining ground in their advance toward the Syrian border city of Azaz despite Turkish shelling on its positions to halt it, an SDF commander has told Syria Direct today.
U.S. Army Col. Steve Warren calls today's strikes on a MSF-supported hospital in Marat al-Numan in Syria's Idlib province "terrible news," says the only U.S.-led air strikes in Syria today were near Raqqa and Hasakah.
Bulgaria charges three Syrians with trying to join IS group
Prosecutors in Bulgaria have charged three Syrians with trying to join the IS group after border patrols arrested them attempting to cross into Turkey from Bulgaria, the interior ministry has said according to Reuters.
The three Syrians had refugee status from Germany.