‘Extremists upset with Turkish presence in Syria’s Idlib’: opposition source
ISTANBUL, Turkey (North Press) – On Sunday, a source from the Syrian opposition said that some extremist groups do not like the Turkish presence in northwest Syria, and they are not convinced with “the truce” between Turkey and Russia.
The extremist groups constantly target the patrols of the Turkish forces, especially near the M4 Highway.
On Thursday, an armed attack targeted a Turkish patrol while it was combing the road connecting between the cities of Sarmada and Idlib in Idlib’s northern countryside.
Field sources said that the attack was carried out by unidentified persons, and wounded a Turkish soldier seriously with an anti-armor shell and a land mine.
Despite the reported and documented news by field sources in Idlib, neither the Turkish Ministry of National Defense nor any other Turkish sources provided any information about it amid noticeable discretion.
A number of analysts and activists concerned with the developments of the situation in Idlib agreed that the continued targeting of the Russian-Turkish patrols aims at hindering the March 5th agreement concluded between both powers, which stresses a permanent ceasefire in that region.
In August 25, 2020, the Turkish-Russian patrol was targeted by unidentified persons with a rocket grenade.
Sputnik referred, at the time, to two Russian soldiers with mild concussions due to the explosion that targeted their patrol in Idlib.
The Khattab al-Shishani Brigades claimed responsibility of the attack and indicated in a statement that “the Russians only understand the language of bombing,” threatening to continue their operations in the region.
In August 17, the joint patrol was subjected to a similar attack with a guided missile after its arrival in the area between the city of Jericho and the town of Tal Musaybeen in Idlib, and no damage or losses were recorded at the time among the patrol’s members.
On July 14, a joint patrol which was passing near Ariha was targeted by a car bomb, wounding of three Russian soldiers.
“Some extremist groups do not like the Turkish presence and they are not perhaps convinced with the truce. I think they committed such operations,” opposition political analyst Ma’moun Abu Issa told North Press.
“There are obstacles hindering the political solution in Syria, but with the US-Russian consensus, all these obstacles will disappear shortly except of the problem of the Iranian presence in Damascus and around it,” he added.
The presidential elections in July and the repercussions of the Syrian president’s renewal of his rule for a coming period will force all the powers to find a solution before this time, according to Abu Issa.