Syrian opposition leader: Our allies didnt defend Idlib
Washington DC – North-Press Agency
Hadeel Oueis
In an interview with North-Press, Syrian opposition leader Marah al-Buqai said that the recent military campaign in Khan Shaykhun was different, because the Russian soldiers were fighting on the ground in Idlib for the first time, and that there was a direct Russian pressure after the Syrian government had lost the ability to take action whether politically or militarily.
The Syrian government forces has tightened control over the entire city of Khan Shaykhun in the southern countryside of Idlib, which crosses international Aleppo-Damascus road, while the combing operations in the city and the extended area to the northern countryside of Hama is ongoing after it was controlled by the Syrian government forces on Tuesday.
“There’s a Russian desire to control the strategic areas within the framework of Russia’s control over the entire Syrian coast, and therefore the city of Khan Shaykhun falls within the scope of these areas that Russia wants to secure, in order to protect the areas of its military interests on the Syrian coast, especially Hmeimim Air Base in Latakia countryside”, al-Buqai added.
Al-Buqai said that the scene is being repeated, adding: “The regime is expected to undergo a demographic change in Khan Shaykhun, from which the civilians had fled, while what is unexpected, was that the allies didn’t defend the area”.
Al-Beqai sees that the understandings indicate that there will be no campaigns towards Idlib beyond Khan Shaykhun, by saying: “This progress has given the regime the possibility of controlling the highway between Aleppo and Damascus, a goal where the regime was seeking to advance.”
Syrian opposition leader added that “It’s impossible for the regime to be back to the pre-2011 state”, pointing out that “the regime has lost its ability to influence politically and control the country after the seed of radical change in Syria has been sown, which its results will be shown sooner or later”.
Regarding the latest military developments of the strategic city, units of the advanced government forces from Tal Meri point towards Khazzan al-Ihtiyatat checkpoint met with other units in the southeastern school of Khan Shaykhun, as a result, the siege which the government forces was trying to impose on the city, was completed.