In a clear sign of escalating tensions between Turkey and Syria, the Assad forces with the help of the Russian fighter aircraft carried out an airstrike resulting in mass casualties.
A video now has emerged of the moment, Russian Sukhoi Su-24M bombed the Turkish position in the northwestern Idlib province.
In the airstrike, at least 33 Turkish soldiers were killed - the numbers are expected to rise. The attack on the Turkish army, it is feared could drastically change of course of the war in Syria, where NATO member Turkey has sent in its forces in what it calls is an effort to stop Assad forces from carrying out a genocide.
Assad forces backed by Russia for the last couple of months have intensified its attack in Idlib to flush out rebel militia mainly comprising of factions loyal to Al Qaeda.
The video of one of the deadliest attacks against the Turkish forces shows Russian fighter jet SU-24M bombing the Turkish soldiers.
The video filmed in the night, shows the flickering lights of the fighter jet approaching the Turkish position and moments later, the entire area is lit up in the inferno caused by the deadly bombs.
Rahmi Dogan, the Turkish governor of the southern province of Hatay, where the Turkish casualties were arriving told local news sources that at least 33 soldiers were killed and 30 were wounded in the airstrike.
Though the airstrike was carried out by Syrian government forces under Bashar al Assad, the Sukhoi SU 24M belonging to the Russian airforce has been conducting air-raids in the region in recent weeks. Protesters in Turkey converged on the Russian Consulate in Istanbul there early Friday, chanting "Murderer Russia! Murderer Putin!"
In the past couple of weeks, there has been an increase in tension and there have been instances where even US and Russian soldiers engaged in direct confrontations. In one particular instance, a US Army vehicle almost rammed a Russian police truck off the road, almost killing an innocent passerby in Qamishil.
This happened mere days after the US soldiers engaged in fire-fight with locals in the area - supporting the Syrian forces under Assad. In the gun-fight, a 14-year-old Syrian boy allegedly was killed.
