Turkey hits new Syria offensive; Russia urges restraint

MOSCOW (AP) — Turkey’s president again hinted at a possible new ground offensive in Syria against Kurdish militants, even as Russia urged restraint and called on Ankara to avoid an escalation. The Russian presidential envoy in Syria has called on Turkey “to show a certain restraint” in order to prevent further escalation in Syria, where tensions heightened over the weekend after Turkish airstrikes killed and wounded a number of Syrian soldiers. Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Tuesday that Turkey would root out militants “with our tanks and soldiers.” The airstrikes, which Turkey said were aimed at Kurdish militants whom Ankara blamed for a deadly Nov. 13 bombing in Istanbul, also struck several Syrian army positions along the border with Turkey.