Xinhua Middle East news summary at 2200 GMT, Feb. 3

ISTANBUL -- Turkish police on Saturday detained 82 Islamic State (IS) suspects in Istanbul, including 77 foreigners, local media reported.

The suspects have acted in the name of the IS or gone to conflict zones in Syria and Iraq, and they were "preparing a terrorist act" in Istanbul, the state-run Anadolu Agency said. (Turkey-IS Suspects)

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DAMASCUS -- The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) said Saturday that it will keep fighting to thwart the Turkish-led military campaign in Afrin in northern Syria.

The Turkish army has used all its military capabilities and weapons, including the prohibited ones, but failed to advance into Afrin, the SDF said in a statement. (Syria-Turkey-Kurds)

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DAMASCUS -- A Russian pilot was killed after his warplane was targeted by the Syrian rebels in the northwestern province of Idlib on Saturday, a monitor group reported.

After parachuting from his targeted warplane, the Russian pilot landed and clashed with the rebels who were attempting to capture him, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. (Syria-Russia-Warplane)

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DAMASCUS -- The Syrian Foreign Ministry on Saturday rejected the U.S. claims about the Syrian government using chemical weapons in the war as "lies."

The ministry said in a statement that the U.S. remarks about the use of chemical weapons in the Eastern Ghouta region of the east of the capital Damascus are "false claims." (Syria-U.S.-Chemical Weapons) Enditem