Second Turkish-backed armed opposition group leader killed in Nagorno-Karabakh battles
AZAZ, Syria (North Press) – Local sources reported that a leader in one of the Turkish-backed Syrian armed opposition groups, Hussein Abo, was killed on Wednesday in the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region in an Armenian military bombardment.
Abo is the second leader of the Hamzat group to be killed in less than a week in the fighting in Nagorno-Karabakh.
Adel Shahir, the commander in chief of the central forces in the Hamza group, died a few days ago along with four other militants during the ongoing battles Nagorno-Karabakh.
Abo is one of the first leaders who participated in mobilizing mercenaries to fight in Azerbaijan in coordination with Turkey, according to the source.
Abo is from Kaljabrin town east of Azaz city and was responsible for several groups in the Hamza Division, according to informed sources.
The Hamza group is active in the opposition-held areas in northwestern Syria, and committed many crimes and violations against civilians in occupied Sere Kaniye (Ras al-Ain) and Afrin.
Turkey is continuing to recruit Syrians to fight in the Nagorno-Karabakh region by offering financial incentives under the pretext of protecting public bases and installations there.
The recent escalation between Azerbaijan and Armenia is the most violent since the 1990s, against the backdrop of the dispute over the Nagorno-Karabakh region.