Violent clashes erupt between government forces, HTS in NW Syria
IDLIB, Syria (North Press) – Clashes erupted on Wednesday night between the Syrian government forces and Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS, formerly al-Nusra Front) on contact lines in the western countryside of Aleppo, northwestern Syria, amid a military escalation in the region.
A military source within the Syrian opposition told North Press violent clashes with heavy weapons between the government forces and the HTS erupted near the Regiment 46 and Kafr Amma in the western countryside of Aleppo after HTS detected movements of the government forces.
The clashes lasted for more than two and a half hours, without reporting casualties among the two parties, that exchanged shelling in Zawiya Mountain in the south of Idlib, the source added.
On Aug. 22, the Turkish forces sent military convoys, including logistical and military equipment, to the de-escalation zone in northwestern Syria amid continued military escalation between the two parties in the region.
Over the past few days, the de-escalation zone witnessed a military escalation and intense mutual shelling between the HTS and the government forces. Russian warplanes also intensified their airstrikes on the region over the past three days.
Although the de-escalation zone in northwest Syria is subject to a Russian-Turkish ceasefire agreement signed in March 2020, the area witnesses frequent mutual bombardment despite the entry of the ceasefire into force.
In March 2020, Russia and Turkey reached an agreement in Moscow that stipulated a ceasefire, the establishment of a safe corridor, and the conduct of joint patrols on the M4/Aleppo-Latakia Highway.
The M4 Highway runs from Latakia to Saraqib, southeast of Idlib. It also connects Ariha and Jisr al-Shughur in the southern and southwestern countryside of Idlib. Its length is 120 km. It arrives until Aleppo, and from there, it has been expanded as a two-lane expressway that continues further east into the Iraqi border, ultimately reaching its destination at Mosul.