Tense calm returns to northern Syria’s Ain Issa after attack by Turkish-backed groups
RAQQA, Syria (North Press) – Uneasy calm prevailed in the town of Ain Issa, north of the city of northern Syria’s Raqqa, after an attempted attack by Turkish-backed armed opposition groups.
On Tuesday night, members of the armed groups shelled the city of Ain Issa with mortars.
The armed groups tried to attack the town and raid it from the village of Sayda, near Ain Issa, but the Internal Security Forces (Asayish) resisted the attack.
As a result, clashes took place between the Asayish and the armed opposition which lasted for hours.
The clashes resulted in the injury of two members of the Asayish forces and material damage to civilian houses.
On October 19, Turkish forces and Turkish-backed opposition groups shelled the M4 Highway, the Ain Issa camp and the outskirts of the town of Ain Issa.
13-year-old Hatem Hazem died on Friday at a hospital in Raqqa city from wounds sustained during a Turkish bombardment of the town of Ain Issa.
James Jeffrey, Special Representative for Syria Engagement and Special Envoy to the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS, condemned the killing of Hatem in a statement, though without mentioning the perpetrators of the attack.
The town of Ain Issa includes points belonging to Syrian government forces and a Russian military base, which were established in the town after understandings with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) which followed the Turkish offensive on northern Syria last year.
In October 2019, Turkey signed two agreements, one with the US and the other with Russia, regarding the ceasefire, but Ain Issa is still witnessing bombardments and shelling.