Saraqeb

Russian officials had talks with Turkish interlocutors on Feb. 8 aimed at stopping the Syrian government's offensive in Syria's northwestern Idlib region and halting an imminent humanitarian catastrophe there.

In Ankara, officials from Turkey and Russia held three hours of talks, agreeing to meet again next week, the Foreign Ministry said after the initial talks.

Syrian government troops entered a strategic town in the country's last rebel stronghold on Feb. 6 after fierce clashes with opposition fighters.