Government forces and opposition exchange shelling in Syria’s northwest
IDLIB, Syria (North Press) – On Tuesday, Syrian government forces bombed opposition factions’ sites in the countryside of Idlib and Hama, northwest Syria, causing material damage.
“The government forces stationed in Jurin Camp targeted the towns of al-Ziyara and al-Enkawi in the Ghab Plain area in the western countryside of Hama,” opposition sources told North Press.
“As a result of targeting residential neighborhoods, the bombing caused destruction of private property,” the sources added.
Similar shelling, with heavy artillery and rocket launchers, targeted the factions’ positions near the towns of Fleifel and al-Fatira, south of Idlib, and the town of Afes in the eastern countryside of Idlib.
Earlier today, Russian warplanes bombed the forests north of the town of Sheikh Bahr, northwest of Idlib, with several air raids.
In response to the government bombing, Hayat Tahrir al Sham (HTS-formerly Jabhat al-Nusra) announced that it targeted the Syrian government forces’ positions near the town of Urum al-Sughra in the western countryside of Aleppo, with heavy artillery and heavy machine guns.
Since June, areas in Syria’s northwest have been witnessing military escalation and intensive mutual shelling between Turkish-backed armed Syrian factions and government forces with Russian support.
The de-escalation zone in northwest Syria is subject to a Russian-Turkish ceasefire agreement signed in March 2020; however, the area witnesses frequent mutual bombardment despite the entry of the ceasefire into force.