Government, opposition exchange shelling in Syria’s Aleppo, Idlib

IDLIB, Syria (North Press) – Areas in de-escalation zone in the countryside of Aleppo and Idlib, northwest Syria, witnessed on Saturday mutual shelling between Syrian government forces and Turkish-backed armed Syrian opposition factions, known as Syrian National Army (SNA), amid frequent flights of Russian warplanes over the region.

A military source from the opposition told North Press that the government forces fired artillery shells and rockets at opposition positions in the villages and towns of al-Fatterah, Kafr Oweid, Sfuhen, Kansafra, Benin and al-Ruweiha in Zawiya Mountain, south of Idlib.

The source said that the government forces, stationed in Base 46, also shelled positions in the villages and towns of Kafr Amma, Kafr Taal, Tuqad, Maklabis and Sheikh Suleiman in the western countryside of Aleppo.

Military sources from the National Front for Liberation told North Press that al-Fateh al-Mubin Operations’ Room targeted with mortars and artillery the government forces’ positions at Sheikh Aqeel, west of Aleppo, and Dadikh in east of Aleppo.

Al-Fateh al-Mubin Operations Room includes the National Front for Liberation, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and Jaysh al-Izza. The military bloc is active in northwest Syria in general.

The areas in the de-escalation zone in northwestern Syria continue to witness daily exchange of bombardment between the SNA factions and the government forces, despite being part of the ceasefire agreement signed between Russia and Turkey in March 2020, which stipulates a halt of all military actions in Idlib.

Reporting by Baha’ al-Nobani