Night-time protest erupts against HTS in Syria’s Afrin

Demonstrators at the center of the city of Afrin
Demonstrators at the center of the city of Afrin

ALEPPO, Syria (North Press) – Dozens of the Turkish-backed Third Legion’s supporters demonstrated on Thursday evening in the city of Afrin against the presence of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS, formerly al-Nusra Front) in the city and the eastern countryside of Aleppo.

Local sources told North Press that a night-time protest took place today’s evening near Newroz Roundabout at the city center of Afrin. Protesters chanted slogans against the HTS and the presence of its security services in Afrin.

Protesters demanded the HTS to leave Afrin and hand the city back to the Turkish-backed Syrian opposition factions, also known as Syrian National Army (SNA), according to the same sources.

The Protest started amid tight security measures, while the factions of Hamza Division and al-Amshat, both allies to HTS, set up joint checkpoints on the Afrin-Kafr Janneh road to prevent activists from the cities of al-Bab and Azaz of reaching the city.

The sources pointed out that it was supposed for the demonstration to start on Friday but the supporters of the SNA’s Third Legion marched on Thursday evening.