Russian escalation in Idlib addresses Turkey not al-Nusra – pundit
IDLIB, Syria (North Press) – On Monday, military expert Ahmad Rahal said Russian escalation in the areas held by the Turkish-backed armed Syrian opposition factions in Idlib aims at sending messages to Turkey rather Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS, formerly al-Nusra Front).
On Sunday, Russian Reconciliation Center for Syria said Russian troops targeted a stronghold of HTS in Idlib Governorate, northwest Syria, killing 45 militants including “field leaders.”
The statement added “The Russian Air Force launched an airstrike on al-Nusra Front base in the vicinity of the village of Sheikh Youssef in Idlib.”
The field leaders who were killed are Bilal Sa’id and Abu Dajjana al-Deiri, in addition to destroying numbers of weapons depots.
Rahal told North Press: “The Russian statement goes in line with agendas of Russia which has claimed fighting terrorists since 2015.”
However, on the ground, Russia “does not shell or stand up to al-Nusra Front. Two days ago, 16 trucks of aid entered from the Tronba crossing close to Saraqib coming from areas under the Syrian regime and handed them over to al-Julani to be transferred to his run storehouses in Sarmada,” Rahal said.
“Cooperation between Russia, the [Syrian] regime and al-Nusra Front does exist; however, there are messages implied in this, and the most important one is the Russian escalation in the liberated areas implies a Russian-Turkish dispute,” he added.
He noted, “Demands made by Russia and the Syrian regime are well known, they are withdrawal of Turkish forces from south to north of the M4 Highway in order for them [Russia and the government] to reach it to control Jabal al-Arba’in and the remainder of Zawiya Mountain south of the highway.”
He went further, saying, “Whenever there is a dispute, Russia escalates.”
“Bargains between the two parties are probable, but that reality does not represent what is taking place actually between Russian and Turkish delegations,” he said.
Rahal believes the Turks no longer can “make any bargain in return for nothing,” adding, “If it wants to take Menagh Military Airbase, Manbij, Tel Rifaat or southern Kobani, it is no longer capable to give an alternative to Russia and the regime and eventually they will not allow it to carry out the military operation it has been claiming to launch.”
The Russian-Turkish dispute is “mere a tactic that doesn’t rise to strategic standards; however, Russians usually express their discontent via military operations.”