3 SNA militants killed in landmine blast in Syria’s Afrin
AFRIN, Syria (North Press) – Three militants, including a commander, of the Turkish-backed armed opposition factions, aka the Syrian National Army (SNA), were killed on Monday, in a landmine explosion in the countryside of Afrin, northwestern Syria.
A prominent military source within the SNA told North Press correspondent that a previously planted landmine exploded in a vehicle of the Sham Legion (Faylaq al-Sham) faction in the village of Basoufan in the south of Afrin.
In another incident at the same day, Media outlets close to the opposition reported an IED exploded in the vehicle of Walid Mersal, intelligence officer of the police in the town of Ghandoura in the western countryside of Jarablus. The blast resulted in the amputation of one of his limbs and the injury of one person who is speculated to be his driver.
Two militants and a commander were killed in the explosion, while two others were injured, the source added.
The SNA held-areas continue to witness security chaos with many clashes and recurrent explosions amid the inability of the factions to maintain order.
Afrin has been under the occupation of Turkey and the SNA factions since 2018 following a military operation dubbed “Olive Branch” against the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) under the pretext of preserving Turkey’s national security.
The operation caused the displacement of about 300,000 of the original inhabitants of the Kurds of Afrin who have been taking shelter in 42 villages and five camps in Aleppo northern countryside, locally known as Shahba region, since then.