Hayat Tahrir al-Sham digs trench to separate Syria’s Idlib from Afrin
IDLIB, Syria (North Press) – Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (formerly Jabhat al-Nusra) is digging a trench separating its areas of control in Idlib and the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army (SNA) in the northern countryside of Aleppo, a security source told North Press on Sunday.
In January 2019, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), an alliance of jihadists groups, launched a large-scale offensive against rival opposition groups in the area.
HTS has now become one of the strongest militant groups in northern Syria. It largely controls Idlib governorate, including the provincial capital and the border crossing with Turkey at Bab al-Hawa.
North Press obtained a picture showing piles of dirt next to a trench in the northern countryside of Idlib.
“For two months, HTS has been working on digging a four-meter deep trench with a large dirt berm above it along the area separating Idlib and Afrin,” the source added.
The source suggested that the matter has different dimensions. It is like border demarcation and separation between the Euphrates Shield area and HTS-held areas.