NATO to hold urgent talks after Turkish troops killed in Syria

BRUSSELS: NATO's ruling council will meet Friday for urgent talks on the Syria crisis after at least 33 Turkish soldiers were killed in an airstrike blamed on Damascus.

"The North Atlantic Council, which includes the ambassadors of all 29 NATO allies, will meet on Friday 28 February following a request by Turkey to hold consultations under article 4 of NATO's founding Washington Treaty on the situation in Syria," the alliance said in a statement.



Under Article 4, any NATO member can request talks when they believe their "territorial integrity, political independence or security" is threatened.

It is separate from the alliance's mutual self-defence pact.