Syrian regime forces shelled Kafr Oweid, Balyon, Sfuhen and Al-Fterah in Jabal Al-Zawiyah in the southern countryside of Idlib, destroying public and private properties.
Meanwhile, Turkey dispatched military reinforcements after setting a new checkpoint amid Russian-Turkish confirmation that the Idlib ceasefire agreement will remain effective.
Ankara and Moscow agreed to maintain the coordination in Idlib and the joint patrols along the M4 international road known as the “Aleppo-Lattakia” highway, and to keep up the joint training to secure the road.
A new Turkish military column of nearly 25 vehicles crossed into Syrian territories, via Kafr Lusin crossing in northern Idlib in the early hours of Wednesday morning. The vehicles headed to the Turkish positions in the “de-escalation zone.”
In the same context, the Russian and the Turkish forces conducted their second joint exercises to ensure the security of the joint Russian-Turkish patrol of the M4 highway in the Idlib de-escalation zone.
These patrols were targeted several times by factions that reject the Russian presence and the Turkish agreements with Moscow.
Meanwhile, the Ansar Abu Bakr Brigade claimed an attack Saturday on a Turkish military base in western Idlib province last week, close to the M4 highway in "Ashuraa Operation – Sallat Al-Zuhur.”
A pick-up truck packed with explosives, and an armed attack targeted the Turkish base, killing one from Tell Hamki and injuring several from Sham Legion – assigned to guard the checkpoint.
According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), the brigade issued a statement dubbed “Ashuraa operation – Sallat Al-Zuhur”, of which SOHR obtained a copy, announcing the identity of the perpetrator, “Abu Suleiman Al-Ansari”, and dismissing local reports on clashes with the Turkish forces.
The statement confirmed that the faction is independent and not subordinate to any other body.
It also warned of getting close to the Turkish posts in Idlib, hinting at the faction’s intention to carry out more attacks on the Turkish forces in the “de-escalation zone.”
