Pentagon chief speaks over phone with Turkish defense minister over Syria, Libya

U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper spoke by phone on Thursday with his Turkish counterpart Hulusi Akar over Syria and Libya, said the Pentagon in a statement.

The two leaders discussed the Assad administration's moves in Syria's northwestern province of Idlib, which Washington claimed are backed by Russia and Iran, and the resulting humanitarian crisis in the region, the statement noted.

During the phone call, the two sides also discussed the situation in Libya.

Washington is exploring ways to work with Turkey on those issues, according to the statement.

The Syrian army has been on an offensive to eliminate the radical rebel groups in Idlib and nearby Aleppo province, while Turkey backs the rebels and urges Russia and Syria to come to the terms of the Sochi deal which obligates the cease-fire in Idlib.

Earlier on Thursday, Turkish Defense Ministry announced that two Turkish soldiers were killed in an airstrike in Idlib, bringing the number of Turkish security personnel killed in that province to 18.