Turkey closes border crossing with Syrian opposition
ALEPPO, Syria (North Press) – On Friday, Turkish authorities closed Bab al-Salama border crossing in Aleppo northern countryside, northwest Syria, after clashes erupted between factions of the Syrian armed opposition.
The closure coincided with a state of vigilant by the Turkish forces in the cities of al-Bab, east of Aleppo, and Azaz in the north, on the background of clashes erupted between the opposition factions, known as the Syrian National Army (SNA), in the city of Tel Abyad, in the north of Raqqa.
The city of al-Bab has been under the occupation of Turkey and its SNA factions since 2017. While the city of Azaz and its countryside have been under the occupation of the Turkish forces and their affiliated SNA factions since July 2012.
“The Turkish authorities order to close the Bab al-Salama crossing hours after the closure of Tel Abyad following bloody clashes between the SNA factions,” a security source told North Press.
The city of Tel Abyad in northern Syria has been under the occupation of the Turkish forces and has been controlled by the SNA factions since 2019 following the so-called “Peace Spring” military operation that aimed to push away the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) under the pretext of protecting the Turkish national security.
The clashes led the Turkish forces to be in a state of vigilant in the cities of al-Bab, Azaz and Tel Abyad, the source said.
North Syria’s areas that are under the occupation of Turkey and the control of the SNA factions always witness states of insecurity and chaos including infighting, kidnaping, theft, killing, and seizure of properties, amid the factions’ inability to impose stability.