The Syrian Observatory For Human Rights

New Turkish patrols roam areas of the Russian – Turkish truce and the demilitarized area despite the continued shelling

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitored on Wednesday morning that a Turkish military patrol was launched from the Turkish point in Morek town in the northern countryside of Hama, towards al-Tamanah in the southern countryside of Idlib, to the Turkish military point in al-Sarman town in the southeastern countryside of Idlib, amid the flight of Turkish warplanes in the skies of the area, and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights published on the 18th of March 2019 that the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights learned that new patrols of the Turkish forces are expected to be run tomorrow, Monday the 18th of March 2019, within the villages and towns of the area of Sahl Al-Ghab in the north-western sector of Hama, within Putin – Erdogan demilitarized zone, and the SOHR learned that commanders of factions loyal to Turkey appealed civic and military parties in Sahl Al-Ghab to conduct pro-Turkey marches during the passing of the patrols in the towns and villages of Sahl Al-Ghab, demanding the raising of Turkish flags before the cameras and the international media which will be present as the patrols pass, and the Syrian Observatory published hours ago, that it monitored a Turkish military patrol being run from Kherbet Eljoz toward Sahl Al-Ghab in the north-western countryside of Hama, in the demilitarized zone agreed upon between the Russian and Turkish presidents, where it entered from Kherbet Eljoz towards Eshtabraq in Jisr Al-Shughur countryside, to the villages of Hawijah, Al-Huwayz and Al-Amiqah and roamed there until it reached Khan Shaykhun city in the southern countryside of Idlib, and the SOHR published on the 8th of March 2019, that it recorded a video showing the Turkish Forces accompanied by groups of fighters and commanders of al-Sham Corps, in the truce areas and areas of presence of the faction which is close to the Turkish authorities, where the Syrian Observatory monitored a convoy of Turkish Forces in Saraqib area and Tal al-Tokan area, and it spread in areas in the vicinity of the observation posts, in proceedings for the first day after the big escalation which aim to get the international highway of Aleppo – Damascus back to business, following a Russian – Turkish consensus to activate the working on the road under Turkish supervision, and the Syrian Observatory published hours ago that calm prevails areas of the Russian – Turkish truce in the 4 provinces and the demilitarized areas of Putin–Erdogan, with the exception of targeting by the regime forces for sites in Shaylout and Muhradah in the western and northwest countryside, and this cautious calm comes in conjunction with the flight of 3 Russian warplanes over the area, with anticipation for running patrols by the Turkish forces operating within the demilitarized areas after the escalation that took place in the past days, and the Syrian Observatory for Human rights published hours ago that Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitored the continuation of Turkish preparations in the countryside of Idlib and its surroundings, within areas of Putin – Erdogan agreement, which is extending from the northeastern mountains of Latakia through Hama and Idlib to the northwestern suburbs of Aleppo city, and intersected sources confirmed to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights that a Turkish – Russian agreement was reached to start Turkish movements to reopen the international highway of Aleppo – Damascus, and work on it under a Turkish supervision within the areas in which the Turkish forces can deploy, and the Russian – Turkish consensus took place after the tripartite meeting on the 14th of February 2019, between the Presidents of Turkey, Russia, and Iran, and the Syrian Observatory published this morning that Syrian Observatory for Human Rights obtained information from several reliable sources that the Turkish forces stationed on Syrian territory within their observation posts deployed in Aleppo, Hama, Idlib and the foothills of Latakia Mountains; are preparing to conduct patrols within areas of Putin – Erdogan agreement, which witnessed dramatic increased in violations since the 15th of February 2019, after the tripartite meeting between the Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and the Russian President Vladimir Putin, and reliable sources confirmed to the Syrian Observatory that vehicles of the Turkish forces have been deployed as a test in points near Jarjanaz and in the southern countryside of Aleppo near the international highway, while it is expected for the patrols to start in the coming hours officially by the Turkish forces, who are located in observation posts in the area, after the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights documented that it rose to 380, the number of people who were killed since Erdogan – Putin agreement, 161 civilians including 60 children and 31 women, were killed in shelling by the regime forces and the militiamen loyal to them, among them 7 citizens including 2 children, who were killed in the fall of shells launched by the factions, and 94 fighters were killed in deferent circumstances within the demilitarized area since Putin – Erdogan agreement, including 21 of the “Jihadi” fighters and 23 fighters of Jaysh al-Izza, who were killed in ambushes and clashes including a commander at least, they were killed in ambushes and attack by the regime forces in the northern countryside of Hama, and 125 members of the regime forces and the militiamen loyal to them.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights published hours ago that 3 consecutive weeks of escalation in the 4 provinces by the regime forces and militiamen loyal to them, and with the help of warplanes, where the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitored successive and daily violations since the 15th  of February 2019, targeted areas in the provinces of Idlib, Hama, Aleppo, and Latakia by the regime forces and militiamen loyal to them and warplanes, in addition to targeting by the rebel and Islamic factions and the “jihadi” factions operating in the area, and the shelling targeted areas of the Russian – Turkish truce including Putin – Erdogan agreement area, and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitored this intense shelling and escalation -which targeted Khan Shaykhun mainly- causing a large displacement, where the Syrian Observatory monitored during the last 3 weeks the displacement of more than 100000 civilians from the countryside of Hama, Idlib, and the south of Aleppo, among them there are tens of thousands of people who have displaced from Khan Shaykhun city, where focusing the shelling on neighborhoods of the city successively by the regime forces and warplanes; led to an almost complete displacement in the city, where some families remained in addition to young people who remained in their homes to guard them.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitored the people heading to the northern countryside of Idlib, and many of them arrived to the Syrian north camps, such as Atma border camps in the northern countryside of Idlib, and the Syrian Observatory also monitored the displacement of a large portion of the people from al-Tamanah and al-Tah, in addition to the displacement of more than 20000 people from Qal’aat al-Madiq town, which is located on the administrative border between Hama and Idlib, also the displaced people headed from the town towards the villages and towns of the southern and northern countryside of Idlib, to get away of the shelling, while a very small number of people remained in the town whose financial situation prevented them from displacing, also several villages of Sahl al-Ghab area at the western countryside of Hama witnessed displacement in the villages of al-Hawash, Hwaiz, Sharia al-Ankawi, al-Hamra, Bab al-Taqa, al-Amiqah and other villages, where many families displaced to Jabal Shashabo area, and tens of displaced families took the Turkish point area in Shir Mghar area as a place for their temporal stay, and the northern countryside of Hama province has also witnessed a new displacement of large number of people, where almost one person remained in each house, while people of the northern countryside of Hama displaced towards areas of the Syrian north due to heavy shelling.