SNA’s Second Legion forms operations room against HTS in northern Aleppo
ALEPPO, Syria (North Press) – Military leaders in the Second Legion, affiliated with the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army (SNA), held an emergency meeting on Tuesday to form an urgent operations room to stop the expansion of factions loyal to Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) in the countryside of al-Bab and Azaz in northern Aleppo. This comes amid ongoing clashes between both parties which led to the displacement of civilians in the region.
The clashes erupted on Sunday over the control of al-Hamran crossing in the city of Jarablus, in northern Syria. The hostilities involved factions affiliated with HTS and factions belonging to the SNA’s Second Legion. The crossing links between the areas held by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) with those controlled by SNA factions. It is considered a financial resource for opposition-held areas; researchers and analysts have estimated the monthly income to be at least $2 million.
On Monday and Tuesday, three members of HTS were killed, and three others were captured by SNA factions, following the ongoing clashes near the city of al-Bab.
A military source in an SNA faction stated to North Press, “A meeting was held in the city of Kilis, southern Turkey, this afternoon under the supervision of Turkish intelligence to discuss the current situation. The meeting included leaders of the Second Legion factions, while the Third Legion and First Legion refused to participate in the meeting.”
The source added that the meeting resulted in the formation of a military operations room under the leadership of Fahim Issa and Nasser al-Nahar.
The Turkish intelligence prevented the Hamza and Amshat factions from participating in the operations room, despite belonging to the Second Legion, the source added.
The source pointed out that the room currently consists of 12 military leaders. Its objective is to remove any faction loyal to HTS from the areas of Afrin and Euphrates Shield, the region that includes the cities of Jarablus, Azaz, al-Bab and their surroundings. In addition, the room aims to cut military reinforcements from HTS that come through the crossings of al-Ghazawiya and Deir Ballut.
The source pointed out that the clashes are ongoing in the villages and towns of Suran, Huwailat, Dabiq, Arshaf, Dowaibeq, Numan, Tel Battal, and Shadud. HTS controls all of these areas, and residents continue to flee from these areas due to the hostilities.