The
United States for the first time Tuesday held
Russia responsible for the deaths of dozens of
Turkish troops in
Syria as it vowed accountability.
An airstrike last month in the Idlib region killed 34 Turkish soldiers, although Ankara blamed Syrian President
Bashar al-Assad and reached a new ceasefire deal with Moscow.
Secretary of State
Mike Pompeo, announcing new
sanctions on Syrian officials, placed blame on Russia, which along with
Iran has backed Assad in his bloody quest to crush rebels.