Pro-Iranian factions intensify their presence near Nubl and Zahraa, north Aleppo
ALEPPO, Syria (North Press) – On Wednesday, Iranian-backed factions raised three flags and began setting up berms around the village of Abyan, south of Afrin in the northern countryside of Aleppo.
The berms and flags are about 9km from the towns of Nubl and Zahraa which are run by the Iranian-backed factions.
This coincides with the escalation of Turkish threats against northern Syria and military build-ups from various parties.
On July 1, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Ankara’s new military operation in northern Syria could begin at any moment.
“I always say that we can start [the incursion] at any moment at night. We should not worry and rush, especially since we are working in the area,” Erdogan told reporters after returning from the NATO summit in Madrid.
Turkey has escalated attacks on the villages of the northern countryside of Aleppo and Tel Rifaat. These areas are shelled almost on daily basis, especially after Iran announced its understanding of Turkey’s fears on its southern borders, and the latter allowed Sweden and Finland to join NATO.
Contact lines in the vicinity of Nubl and Zahraa are currently witnessing an unprecedented mobilization by government forces and the Iranian-backed factions. Earlier, the leader of the Iranian-backed Popular Defense Forces in Nubl and Zahraa, Abu Zainab, said that the state of alert and the intensification of the military presence is taking place on the fronts of the western countryside of Aleppo, adjacent to the areas controlled by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), and the fronts of the northern countryside of Aleppo adjacent to the areas run by Turkish-backed opposition factions.
“We will continue as long as there is danger and threat to our people in Nubl and Zahraa,” he added.
Abduljwad Zam, a local leader of the town of Nubl, told North Press that his town is again under the threat after a period of relative calm.
He said that the location of the two towns and their proximity to areas held by opposition factions made them targets for shelling.
The residents of Nubl and al-Zahraa, which are predominantly Shiite, did not hide their fears that the Turkish-backed factions would take control of the neighboring town of Tel Rifaat.