2 groups of SNA faction clash north of Syria’s Aleppo
ALEPPO, Syria (North Press) – Fierce clashes erupted on Monday between two groups of Turkish-backed Sultan Murad faction in the village of Hawar Kilis, adjacent to the Turkish border, near the city of Azaz, north of Aleppo.
The Sultan Murad faction is one of the Turkish-backed Syrian armed opposition factions, also known as the Syrian National Army (SNA).
A local source told North Press that brutal clashes, using light weapons, took place between two groups affiliated with Sultan Murad following a quarrel.
“The cause of the clashes is yet to be known,” the source said.
“The hostilities caused a state of fear and panic among the residents of the area as a result of indiscriminate shooting,” he added.
The town of Hawar Kilis is considered a military zone because it contains headquarters of a number of Turkish-backed factions, most notably Sultan Murad, the Hamza Division and Sultan Suleiman Shah, also known as al-Amshat.
The salaries of most of the SNA militants come through a military crossing located north of Hawar Kilis on the border with the Turkish state of Kilis. The crossing is also used by the leaders of the SNA factions to move between Turkey and Syria, according to the source.
The SNA-held areas witness a state of insecurity, accompanied by explosions and continuous infighting, amid inability of the factions to hold it under control.