After the fragility of truce and agreements in Idlib increase, violent clashes between Tahrir al-Sham and Ahrar al-Sham expand into the demilitarized area through shedding more blood in a clash over influence
Idlib Province, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights: near the demilitarized area, the major factions of the Syrian north continue to fight for the second day, within 2 of the 4 provinces, which are covered by the demilitarized area agreed between Putin and Erdogan, which are also included in the Turkish – Russian truce, where the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitored the continuation of clashes at an escalated pace between Hayyaat Tahrir al-Sham against the Islamic movement of Ahrar al-Sham, in areas at Sahl al-Ghab at the northwestern countryside of Hama and other areas in the countryside of Idlib at the border with Sahl al-Ghab, and the clash are concentrated in the areas of al-Lajj, al-Sahen, Qastun, and Zayzoun, about 7 km away of regime forces’-controlled areas in Joureen in Sahl al-Ghab, and the Syrian Observatory learned that Hayyaat Tahrir al-Sham was able to extend its control completely over Zayzoun, al-Lajj, and al-Sahen and most of al-Rouj plain area, while the clashes continue in Qastun village, while Tahrir al-Sham ended the partnership of control in the villages of Jadarya and Anb, and completely controlled both villages located to the southwest of Idlib at the border with Sahl al-Ghab after an exchange of control yesterday.
The continuous clashes since Monday, the 3rd of December 2018, have left casualties in the ranks of both parties, during which more than 5 fighters of both parties were killed and injured others, in addition to injuring several citizens including children and a woman at least with varying severity, and information about the death of 2 people, while reliable sources told the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights that the meeting that took place between representatives of Tahrir al-Sham and Ahrar al-Sham through mediations yesterday, Monday, to find a solution and stop the tension and fighting has failed, the sources added that Hayyaat Tahrir al-Sham stipulated that Ahrar al-Sham’s headquarters in al-Lajj, al-Sahen, Jadraya and others must be closed, which was rejected by representatives of Ahrar al-Sham, after that Hayyaat Tahrir al-Sham brought military reinforcements to Mahmbel southwest of Idlib, to strengthen its ranks in its fight against Ahrar al-Sham, while this clash between the major factions of the Syrian north comes after a previous series of tensions and clashes in several areas between Tahrir al-Sham and the factions of the National Liberation Front, the clashes also come two days after the statements of the general commander of Ahrar al-Sham, Jaber Ali Basha, who announced on Sunday evening that all factions are ready to defend Idlib, and he said that: “as Assad’s shelling is getting intense over the liberated areas and due to fears of a military action by the regime, we must show our people that the regime and its Russian and Iranian allies have never been parties that fulfill their covenants and charters, and this has been proven to be absolutely correct and beyond doubt, and we are convinced that the last agreement is not any different of the previous agreements that have been broken in the rest of the areas.”
The Syrian Observatory published on the 25th of November 2018 that the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitored a state of tension ignited between Hayyaat Tahrir Al-Sham and Ahrar Al-Sham Islamic Movement, in the countryside of Idlib province, and in the details monitored by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights; Hayyaat Tahrir Al-Sham tended to enter Hish area which is controlled by Ahrar Al-Sham Movement, and sat up a checkpoint of it in the area, which provoked the movement’s groups, and pushed them to target the checkpoint, also Hayyaat Tahrir Al-Sham targeted Babuline Checkpoint of the National Liberation Front under the banner of which Ahrar Al-Sham Islamic Movement is operating, amid tension and alertness in the ranks of the both parties within the southern sector of Idlib countryside, and this tension comes about 72 hours after the tension that prevailed Kafr Owaid at the outskirts of Jabal al-Zawiyah since yesterday, against the backdrop of using dirt barricades by the National Liberation Front to close the road between in Jabal al-Zawiyah and al-Ankawi which is overlooking Sahl al-Ghab, and in the details obtained by the Syrian Observatory for Rights: the town of Kafr Owaid which was under the control of the National Liberation Front, its people demanded that fighters of the National Liberation Front should get out of the town, after of the bloody clashes between them and Hayyaat Tahrir al-Sham stopped earlier, after that Hayyaat Tahrir al-Sham put a checkpoint between the town and Kansafra town in the area itself, raided Kafr Owaid town, and arrested 3 fighters of the National Liberation Front, after which fighters of the National Liberation Front established checkpoint south of Kafr Owaid town on the road between the town and the Sfuhen town, after that Hayyaat Tahrir al-Sham established again a checkpoint on the same road but closer to the town, which caused disputes between both parties, where the National Liberation Front finally decided to close the road to the town from the side of Sahl al-Ghab near al-Ankawi town.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights published on the 30th of October the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights received a copy of the statement of the agreement between Hayyaat Tahrir al-Sham and the National Liberation Front; after the violent clashes that took place between both parties in the northern countryside of Aleppo, it says:
“The brothers in the National Liberation Front and Hayyaat Tahrir al-Sham have agreed on the following: cease-fire between both parties immediately, and the release of prisoners from both parties immediately, and forming an committee agreed upon to investigate the murder of the brothers Akram Khattab and Abu Trab may ALLAH accept them (as martyrs) and handing over the suspects in their murder, and the case to be followed-up with an agreed third party agreed upon the suggested of which is the Dr. Anas Ayrout provided that it starts its work immediately, and Taqad village remains neutral without headquarters, checkpoints, security patrols and not to interfere with its local council, the cave of Taqad “Behfis” stay in the hands of Tahrir al-Sham, and the withdrawal of the National Front from Tallat al-Sheikh Khader and the return of Hayyaat Tahrir al-Sham to it, and Kafr Hamra city stays free of headquarters (Ahrar – Zenki) and the brothers in Ahrar al-Sham have the right to create an operations room from the side of al-Leramoun Ikthar Bithar, and refer the solution of the outstanding issues at the field level to their leaders of both parties to be settled at the earliest.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights published last night that the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitored the return of calm to the demilitarized zone, in the vicinity of Aleppo city from both northern and western sides, and in the details obtained by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights; after the escalated pace of clashes while they were continuing today after noon, and with the beginning to the today’s evening the 30th of October 2018, the areas of clashes between the factions operating under the banner of the National Liberation Front against Hayyaat Tahrir Al-Sham, witnessed the return of calm, where the pace of fighting decreased until it was completely ceased, in conjunction with a meeting that was held between representatives of the both parties through mediators in order to reach an agreement on ceasing the fighting and the return of calm in the demilitarized zone which the jihadis refuse to leave, amid confirmed information about reaching an agreement provides on the cessation of fighting and the return of each party to its positions as things were before the fighting, which ignited the local’s resentment after the fall of casualties and wounded of fighters and citizens in the fighting which has been the most violent one since a deal was reached between Putin and Erdogan on the 17th of September 2018.