Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad has condemned Turkey's leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan as a "thief" as he made his first visit to areas in Idlib (ID-LAYB) province recently retaken by Syrian government forces from Turkey-backed rebels.
His comments came as Syrian troops continued to deploy in parts of the north where they are supporting Kurdish forces to contain a Turkish invasion, according to the Syrian state news agency.
Mr Assad's forces now control around 60 per cent of Syria, with northern Idlib (ID-LAYB) province the only remaining region with a majority rebel presence.