HTS takes territory from Turkish-backed SNA in Syria’s Aleppo
ALEPPO, Syria (North Press) – Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) took control of areas on Tuesday evening from the Turkish-backed opposition factions, known as the Syrian National Army (SNA) in the countryside of Afrin, northwest Syria, after it pushed huge military columns to the area.
This came after fierce infighting between several SNA factions, north and northwest of Aleppo.
A military source from the Syrian opposition told North Press, “This evening, HTS pushed dozens of vehicles and hundreds of militants to the contact line separating the areas under its control in north of Idlib from those controlled by the SNA in Afrin.”
The source said that the HTS took advantage of the intra-factional clashes taking place in the SNA-held areas.
The source added, “HTS entered Afrin’s countryside and took control of the town and crossing of al-Ghazawiya, which was under the control of the Turkish-backed Sham Legion faction.”
The Sham Legion withdrew from the area without fighting the HTS, which has not advanced further in the region, the source stated.
The source continued, “The HTS exploited the intra-factional clashes between the factions of the Hamza Division, the Third Legion and the Levant Front in the city of al-Bab, which spread this evening to Afrin and its countryside. The infighting prompted the HTS to enter Afrin region under the pretext of resolving the conflict between the factions.”
Furthermore, the source said, “Sultan Murad (al-Amshat) faction attacked the headquarters of the Levant Front and Third Legion at Jindires and Mabatli districts respectively, in order to support the Hamza Division, which is clashing with the Levant Front in both Basouta and Jabal al-Ahlam (mountain of dreams), south of Afrin.”
Another military source from the opposition informed North Press that the HTS took control of Basouta town, south of Afrin, amid fierce clashes with the Third Legion.
The Third Legion and Levant Front attacked this morning the headquarters of the Hamza Division in the city of al-Bab and town of Bza’a, east of Aleppo, and took full control of them after expelling Hamza militants, according to the source.
The fight against Hamza Division came after the latter’s militants assassinated a media activist in the city of al-Bab a few days ago.
On June 20, the HTS entered the Afrin region and took control of many villages and towns in its southern and western countryside after expelling factions of the SNA. The HTS withdrew after a high-ranking Turkish military delegation meddled and made a deal between both sides.