SNA inter-fighting results in killed, wounded in Syria’s Sere Kaniye
SERE KANIYE, Syria (North Press) – Two groups affiliated with Turkish-backed armed opposition factions, aka the Syrian National Army (SNA), clashed with each other in the city of Sere Kaniye (Ras al-Ain) in the north of Hasakah Governorate, northeastern Syria, over profits made from smuggling narcotics and humans into Turkey.
A source within the Military Police faction said Abu Naji al-Hadidi group affiliated with Ahrar al-Sharqiya faction clashed on Saturday at dawn with the Haj Sarhan group affiliated with Sultan Murad faction using grenades and light weapons near the village of Alouk in the east of Sere Kaniye.
The clash erupted due to a disagreement over the revenues made from smuggling drugs and humans into Turkish territories, according to the source.
He noted the fighting resulted in the killing of a militant and the injury of another from the Ahrar al-Sharqiya faction, in addition to the killing of a militants from the Sultan Murad faction. They were taken to the Sere Kaniye Hospital.
According to media reports, frequent clashes erupt among SNA factions in areas under their control due to disagreements over controlling crossings and human smuggling into Turkey.
On Friday, Sixteen militants were killed and others were injured during clashes between the SNA and Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS, formerly al-Nusra Front).
The clashes erupted due to disputes between the two sides regarding the control of the Hamran crossing in Jarablus. Later, Turkish forces closed the crossings between areas controlled by the two parties.
The city of Sere Kaniye has been under the control of Turkish forces and SNA factions since October 2019 after launching Operation “Peace Spring.”