Russian aircraft not behind strike on Turkish soldiers in Syria: Turkish deputy PM

ANKARA (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin has confirmed to Turkey that aircraft which carried out an attack on Turkish soldiers near the Syrian city of al-Bab last week did not belong to Russia, Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus said on Monday.

Speaking at a news conference after a cabinet meeting, Kurtulmus said "necessary steps" would be taken over last Thursday's air strike, which killed at least three Turkish soldiers and wounded ten, once flight records are reviewed.

Turkey's military has said the strike was suspected to have been carried out by Syrian government forces, in what would be the first such Turkish deaths at the hands of Syrian forces since Ankara launched a cross-border incursion in August.

(Reporting by Ercan Gurses and Daren Butler; Writing by Humeyra Pamuk; Editing by Nick Tattersall)

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