2 Syrian Defense Ministry personnel killed by unidentified gunmen in Idlib

By Laith Al-jnaidi and Rania Abushamala

DAMASCUS/ISTANBUL (AA) - Two Syrian Defense Ministry personnel were shot dead Wednesday by unidentified gunmen in Al-Foua, state media reported.

The Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) reported the deaths in the town in the northeastern countryside of Idlib province in northwestern Syria without providing details about the identities of the victims or the circumstances of the shooting. It did not identify those responsible.

The Defense Ministry previously reported the deaths of soldiers in separate shootings by unidentified assailants in eastern Syria earlier this month.

A soldier was killed Oct. 19 in an attack in Al-Baghouz in the eastern countryside of Deir ez-Zor, the Alikhbaria television channel reported, citing a source in the ministry’s Media and Communication Department.

The ministry announced on Oct. 10 that another soldier had died of wounds sustained when unidentified gunmen opened fire in the town of Buqrus in eastern rural Deir ez-Zor on the evening of Oct. 6, according to the channel.

Rania R.a. Abushamala