Erdoğan: Chemical sites hit in Syria in retaliation for killing of Turkish troops in Idlib

Turkey has destroyed Syrian chemical weapons facilities and military sites in retaliation for the deaths of more than 30 Turkish soldiers who were martyred in air raids carried out by the Assad regime in Syria's Idlib province this week, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said in a statement.

"Several sites, including airfields, ammunition depots, air defence systems, hangars and chemical weapon production facilities were put under heavy fire and destroyed," Erdoğan told party members in Istanbul on Saturday, in his first public remarks on the incident.

"As of yesterday evening, seven warehouses with chemical materials too have been blown up," Erdoğan said, also adding that hundreds of military vehicles and tanks were destroyed.

He said 36 Turkish soldiers were martyred in total in Thursday's air raid in the embattled north-western province of Idlib, a provocation that raised fears of direct conflict between NATO-member Turkey and Russia.

Erdoğan vowed to increase pressure each passing day on the bloody-minded Bashar al-Assad regime.

"We wouldn't like things reach this point. However, since they forced us into doing it, they will have to bear consequences," he said.

Turkey will prove its determination to the "Syrian regime and its supporters," Erdoğan said, adding he told Russian President Vladimir Putin to "get out of our way."

"I said to Mr Putin too yesterday 'What are you doing [in Syria]?' if you want to establish bases, go head. But now, get out of our way, leave us alone with the regime," Erdoğan said, referring to his phone call with Putin on Friday.

The two leaders agreed to meet in person as soon as possible, the Turkish government said, without citing any venue or timing.

According to the Foreign Ministry in Moscow on Saturday, high-level representatives from Russia and Turkey have already been holding discussions and have agreed to take steps to reduce tensions.