Turkey sends reinforcements to NW Syria amid military escalation
IDLIB, Syria (North Press) – Turkish forces sent new military reinforcements on Wednesday to its posts in Idlib Governorate, northwest Syria, amid increasing military escalation in the de-escalation zone.
A military source within the Syrian opposition told North Press, the Turkish forces brought new military reinforcements through the Kafr Lossin border crossing with Turkey in the north of Idlib to its posts in Zawiya Mountain in the south of Idlib, which has been witnessing a military escalation for a while.
The source added that the reinforcements included 18 military vehicles, including armored vehicles and trucks carrying logistic equipment and pre-fabricated guard posts, in addition to armored bulldozers.
As the Turkish convoy entered the region, the Syrian government forces started to intensify its artillery and missile shelling on the villages and towns of Fatterah, Kafr Oweid, Sfuhen, Kansafra, and al-Bara in Zawiya Mountain, in addition to al-Enkawi, al-Sirmaniyah, and Duwayr al-Akrad in Ghab Plain in the west of Hama.
Meanwhile, a military source within the al-Fateh al-Mubin Operations Room said Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS, formerly al-Nusra Front) targeted with artillery shells and rockets a military convoy of the Division 25 of the government forces near the town of Hazarin in the south of Idlib that was heading to the village of al-Malaja in Zawiya Mountain to regain posts they lost in the past week.
According to the same source, the attack on the military convoy killed five soldiers from special units of the Division 25, in addition to destroying a military vehicle. The convoy was forced to retreat to Ma’aret Hurmah area.
Additionally, Russian warplanes targeted with highly explosive missiles the outskirts of the town of al-Bara and the farmlands stretching between town of Kansafra and the village of Mozra in Zawiya Mountain, without reporting human casualties.
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.