Kurdish forces kill 11 proturkish Syrian fighters: Erdogan

ISTANBUL: Eleven pro-turkish Syrian fighters were killed Thursday by Kurdish forces in violation of ceasefire agreements aimed at creating a "safe zone" in northern Syria, Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said.

"This morning, 11 members of the Syrian National Army were martyred," Erdogan told a press conference in Ankara, using the name for a Syrian militia fighting for Turkey. "Of course, a bigger number died on the other side... When they attack the SNA or our soldiers, should we stay silent? Of course, we have to retaliate -- more than retaliate," he added. erdogan didn't say where the fighting had taken place, but the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said clashes had taken place near the Syrian border town.