Clashes between Turkish-backed factions east of Aleppo escalate
ALEPPO, Syria (North Press) – Violent clashes erupted on Monday night between Turkish-backed armed opposition factions, known as Syrian National Army (SNA), and al-Hamza Division following the involvement of the latter in the killing of a media activist in the city of al-Bab, east of Aleppo.
On October 9, the media activist, Muhammad Abdullatif, nicknamed Abu Ghannoum and his wife were shot to death in the city center of al-Bab in Aleppo eastern countryside, northern Syria.
The murderers turned out to be militants of the Turkish-backed Hamza faction, an exclusive source told North Press.
A source told North Press that a military unit raided headquarters of al-Hamza Division in al-Bab and its outskirts and encircled the city as clashes between the two sides were ongoing.
The source added that the raid followed release of confessions of the arrested cell members accused of the murder that substantiated involvement of al-Hamza leaders in the murder by giving orders.
The source indicated that machine guns and mortars were used in storming the headquarters al-Hamza Division in the city which was controlled after clashes lasted for hours.
Other headquarters located in the outskirts of the city were seized too, as militants involved in clashes are pursued, according to the source.
During sweeping operation, the SNA factions found prisoners including women. A number of al-Hamza militants defected from the Division. They handed over their weapons.
Since 2017, the city of al-Bab in the eastern countryside of Aleppo has been under the control of the Turkish-backed opposition factions.
Areas controlled by the Turkish-backed armed opposition factions witness, from time to time, offences against civilians amid inaction by institutions of the opposition Syrian Interim Government to stand up to such factions.