Government forces foil HTS attack, down 2 drones in NW Syria
IDLIB, Syria (North Press) – The Ministry of Defense of Syria announced on Sunday the foiling of an attack by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS – formerly al-Nusra Front) in the countryside of Aleppo, as well as the downing of two drones for the group in the countryside of Idlib Governorate, northwest Syria.
This comes amid escalating tension between the two parties in recent days.
The Ministry of Defense said, on its website, that its unites thwarted an attack of the HTS on the western countryside of Aleppo, causing casualties and large material damage.
The ministry also added that its units had downed two drones of the HTS. The drones were trying to attack military posts of the government forces in the countryside of Idlib.
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.