TURKISH troops faced off against Kurdish guerillas in north-western Syria yesterday, according to rebel reports.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said: “Turkish armed forces, jointly with the FSA units started an operation in Idlib,” a province divided between Free Syrian Army insurgents and al-Qaida-affiliated groups.

Some 30 armoured vehicles with more than 100 troops reportedly crossed the border, setting up “observation posts” ostensibly to police the ceasefire with the government.