Suspected Syrian government airstrike 'kills Turkey-backed rebels'

Syrian rebels have been killed in a deadly barrel bomb thought to have been carried out by government forces, Turkey has said.

The bombardment took place in the Turkey-Syria border region.

Quoting military officials, Turkey's Anadolu Agency reported on Wednesday that two opposition fighters were killed in the village of Tall Nayif in northern Syria, while five others were wounded.

The agency didn't say when the attack happened.

Turkey launched "Operation Euphrates Shield" two months ago, sending tanks and warplanes into Syria in support of the largely Turkmen and Arab rebels to push Islamic State from the border and prevent Kurdish militias taking ground in their wake.

Turkey says the Kurdish forces are linked to Turkey's outlawed Kurdish insurgents and considers both to be terrorist groups.

Syria's army said last week that Turkey's military presence in Syria was a "dangerous escalation and flagrant breach of Syria's sovereignty," warning that it would down Turkish warplanes in Syrian air space.