The Syrian Observatory For Human Rights

Military vehicles and tens of fighters arrive in areas of the escalating clashes between Tahrir al-Sham and the National Front, which left casualties and prisoners

Aleppo province, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights: the western sector of Aleppo countryside is witnessing continuous clash since the morning of the first day of 2019, between Hayyaat Tahrir al-Sham and the National Liberation Front, where the Syrian Observatory monitored the continuation of shelling exchange and the increased clashes between both parties, within areas in the western countryside of Aleppo, and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights learned that military reinforcements of several factions of the “Euphrates Shield” Operation have reached the clash areas, and it is not known whether they came to resolve the conflict or to support the National Liberation Front against Hayyaat Tahrir al-Sham, after the latter achieved advancement in the area, controlled important heights, and advanced in several areas, and the clashes caused the death and injury of a large number of fighters of the National Liberation Front and Hayyaat Tahrir al-Sham, and confirmed information about prisoners among both parties, including non-Syrian fighters, while the Syrian Observatory published hours ago that the western sector of Aleppo countryside is witnessing continuous clash since the early hours of the morning of first day of the new year, 2019, between the major Syrian factions: Hayyaat Tahrir al-Sham and the National Liberation Front, where the first continues its attacks against areas controlled by the second, using heavy machines of tanks and cannons, where the most violent clashes are concentrated in Darat Azza town, amid support by members of Hayyaat Tahrir al-Sham and the 9th Division of al-Zenki in the town, also the clashes coincided with appeals to evacuate al-Ferdus Hospital in Darat Azza, which includes newborn and kidney patients, while all roads are still closed between the northern countryside of Idlib and the western countryside of Aleppo, also areas controlled by Hayyaat Tahrir al-Sham and al-Zenki west of Aleppo; are witnessing the fall of shells and exchange of targeting, amid public discontent there, where demonstrations took place in Taqad and Qebtan al-Jabal, condemning fighting, gunshots, and the random shelling, demanding the intervene to stop clashes and keep civilians and the populated areas away of their rivalry over influence and expanding their control under different pretexts.

The Syrian Observatory published in the last few hours that  the Syrian Observatory monitored fighters of Hayyaat Tahrir al-Sham advance in the Darat Azza area and in roads leading to the villages around the area, then the clashes moved to inside Darat Azza town, also Syrian Observatory for Human Rights received information that Hayyaat Tahrir al-Sham was able to control 2 villages in Aleppo’s western countryside during this violent fighting, and the Syrian Observatory documented the death of a nurse and the injury of several medical staff in one of the hospitals of Darat Azza, as a result of the clashes inside the town, amid efforts to get them out and treat them, where the hospital is located in one of the clash sites, and the Syrian Observatory also documented the death of another civilian to the random fall of shells on Khan al-Asal, to be the first 2 casualties in 2019.

The Syrian Observatory published this morning that the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitored new clashes in the western sector of Aleppo countryside, between Hayyaat Tahrir al-Sham against the movement of Nour al-Din al-Zenki of the National Liberation Front, where the clashes are concentrated between both parties on the morning of the first of January of 2019; in areas in Darat Azza, Khan al-Asal, al-Rashedin, Besratoun and Taqad, amid targeting by shells and machine guns, which killed 2 members of the National Liberation Front and confirmed information about the fall of more casualties in the ranks of both parties, while the clashes come despite the initial agreement between both parties, after the killing members of members of Hayyaat Tahrir al-Sham, while the Syrian Observatory published on the 28th of December 2018, that tension prevails between Hayyaat Tahrir al-Sham and the Movement of Nour al-Din al-Zenki of the National Liberation Front in Idlib Province and the outskirts of Aleppo provinces, after the death of 5 fighters, where they were shot by members of Nour al-Din al- Zenki Movement, in Tal’adah area in the northeastern sector of Idlib countryside, at the administrative border with the western countryside of Aleppo, and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights learned that the killing caused tension between both parties again, following previous clashes between them, amid fears among the people from the outbreak of clashes between both parties after these tensions, which may cause the fall more casualties.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights received on the 30th of October 2018 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.