Turkey says discussing return of 18 Syrian troops with Russia

Turkey is in talks with Russia about the return of 18 people understood to be Syrian regime troops, Turkish defence minister Hulusi Akar said Thursday.

"The delivery of 18 people found to be regime members is being discussed with the Russians at the moment," Akar said in comments carried on the defence ministry's Twitter account.

He added that two of the 18 had been treated in a Turkish hospital.

The troops in question were captured by Turkey on Tuesday in the vicinity of the key border town of Ras al-Ain during reconnaissance activities.

Turkish authorities then investigated if their claims of being regime troops were accurate.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has repeatedly said Turkey would never allow Syrian Kurdish fighters viewed as "terrorists" by Ankara to stay on the Syria-Turkish border wearing "regime clothes."