Presidential Communications Director Fahrettin Altun condemned the recent attack by the Bashar Assad regime forces against Turkish troops in Syria’s northwestern Idlib province, as he highlighted Turkey’s determination to pursue its goals.

Referring to the recent attack as “heinous,” Altun said the regime targeted Turkish troops who are in the area as per an agreement in line with international law, with the goal to end violence and the humanitarian crisis.

“The war criminal, who ordered today’s heinous attack, targeted the entire international community, not just Turkey,” Altun said, adding that the Turkish military will continue to crush those who target the Turkish flag.

Five Turkish soldiers were killed; five others were injured after regime forces hit a Turkish observation post in Idlib on Monday.

The Turkish military immediately retaliated against the attack in kind, the Defense Ministry said.

Last week, an Assad regime attack in Idlib killed seven Turkish soldiers and one civilian contractor working with the Turkish military and injured over a dozen people.

In retaliation, Turkey struck over 50 targets and killed 76 Syrian soldiers.

Idlib has been a stronghold of opposition and anti-government armed groups since the outbreak of the Syrian civil war in 2011.