HTS installs checkpoints near quake-hit town in Syria’s Afrin
AFRIN, Syria (North Press) – On Tuesday, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS, formerly al-Nusra Front) installed a number of checkpoints near the town of Jindires west of the city of Afrin, north of Aleppo.
An exclusive source told North Press the HTS installed the checkpoints east of the town.
The source added that the HTS installed a temporary checkpoint within the town “under the pretext of banning thefts by Turkish-backed Syrian opposition factions, also known as Syrian National Army (SNA), further it aims at expanding its influence in the region.”
The past few days, the region witnessed the entry of hundreds of aid trucks and cars coming from many other regions in addition to relief aid, and rescue and emergency teams from Arab countries.
At dawn on Feb. 6, a 7.8-magnitude earthquake hit Syria and Turkey, killing tens of thousands and injuring many more. The earthquake also caused immense destruction of buildings, trapping thousands under the rubble.
Local and international saving-life aid continues to flock to the region to help those affected by the earthquake amid talks on ongoing thefts by the Turkish-backed SNA factions, according to the source.
On October 13 of 2022, the HTS took full control of Afrin, following the withdrawal of Third Legion from the city toward Azaz.
On October 17, the clashes between both sides came to a halt after Turkish intelligence intervened and ordered the HTS to hand over the security and military posts in the villages of Kafr Janneh and Qatmah to Hayat Thaeroon for Liberation which remained neutral during the clashes.
On Oct. 21, on the back of Turkish mediation, the HTS withdrew militants and heavy weaponry from Kafr Janneh, Afrin and Jindires to its areas of control in the countryside of Idlib.
On October 25 of the same year, Military columns of the HTS withdrew from areas in Afrin and its countryside towards Idlib, while maintaining its security forces there.
However, North Press, through correspondents and sources, monitored that the withdrawal was pro forma imposed by Turkey following international rejection for al-Nusra’s expansion in areas north of Aleppo.
On Jan. 20, 2018, the Turkish forces and the SNA launched the so-called “Olive Branch” military operation to push away the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) under the pretext of protecting “Turkish national security.”
The operation caused the displacement of about 300.000 of the original inhabitants of the Kurds of Afrin who have been taking shelter in 42 villages and five camps in Aleppo northern countryside, locally known as Shahba region, since then.