Air strike kills three Turkish soldiers

An air strike thought to have been carried out by Syrian government forces has killed three Turkish soldiers and wounded 10 others, the Turkish military says.

The attack occurred early on Thursday during a Turkish-led Syrian rebel operation in northern Syria, the army statement said.

It would be the first time Turkish soldiers are known to have been killed by Syrian government forces in the offensive, dubbed Euphrates Shield, which was launched on August 24.

The operation aims to push Islamic State militants, as well as the Kurdish YPG militia, away from the Syrian side of Turkey's border and has advanced to near the city of al-Bab, which is controlled by the jihadists.

Earlier, security and hospital sources in Turkey said Islamic State fighters had carried out an attack which killed three Turkish soldiers in the al-Bab region.