Hayat Tahrir al-Sham suspends opening of crossing with Syrian government forces’ areas

North-Press Agency

Yesterday, Thursday, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) announced the closure of the Marat al-Naasan crossing, after tension between HTS and local residents regarding the agreement between HTS and Syrian government forces to open the crossing.

A field source told North-Press that HTS members closed the Marat al-Naasan – Miznaz crossing in the western countryside of Aleppo at midnight Thursday – Friday due to tension between militant groups and locals which resulted in one death and several injuries.

On April 28th, hundreds of residents and displaced people in the Idlib area and the western countryside of Aleppo went to the road leading to Miznaz from the town of Marat al-Naasan in protest of HTS’s decision to open a commercial crossing with Syrian government forces’ areas after an agreement between two sides.

Bulldozers affiliated with HTS tried to remove dirt berms constructed by Turkish forces at their point in the town of Ketian, which is located on the road leading to the town of Marat al-Nasan, and from there to the crossing that was to be opened.

According to a field source from the Idlib region, HTS was determined to open the crossing, ignoring popular discontent and the position of the Turkish forces, who also refused to open the crossing.