ANKARA, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- Up to three civilians were killed and 12 others injured on Monday in an airstrike carried out on a Turkish military convoy, which was on its way to an observation point in Idlib province of Syria, Turkey's Ministry of Defense said.

"The operations carried out by the regime, which violated the existing consensus and agreements with the Russian Federation in Idlib region, have caused great harm to the civilian or innocent people ... despite all warnings made to the authorities of the Russian Federation," the ministry said in a written statement.

The statement noted that the Turkish convoy was part of the deployment of troops to the region to secure the observation point there, keep the supply routes open and prevent further loss of civilians in the region.

Russia was informed of the move in advance, it added.

The army enforcement was necessary in the face of these ongoing operations "threatening the supply route to the Turkish Observation Point No. 9," the statement said.

During the transit, an airstrike was launched on the Turkish convoy at 8:55 a.m. local time (0555 GMT), killing three civilians and injuring 12 others, the ministry stated.

"We strongly condemn this attack ... We expect necessary measures to be taken to prevent recurrence of such incidents," it said.

Advancing from Hama province south of Idlib in the past week, the Syrian government forces supported by Iranian-backed militias and Russian special forces, launched both air and ground operations in the region.