The Syrian Observatory For Human Rights

HTS prevents Turkish column from entering the city of Dara Izza

SOHR activists say that members of Hayaat Tahrir Al-Sham Liberation (HTS) prevented a column belonging to Turkish army forces from entering the city of Dara Izza, west of Aleppo province. Members of Al-Katoura checkpoint gathered this evening in front of Turkish military vehicles to block them from passing.

This development comes amid growing tension between HTS, which seeks to open a commercial crossing with regime-controlled areas on the one hand, and Turkish forces and proxy factions on the other.

Syrian Observatory sources have monitored Turkish army and Al-Sham Corps on one side, and Hayyaat Tahrir Al-Sham on the other on high alert, in Maarrat Al-Na’saan area, after HTS had brought a wheel loader to remove the soil barrier erected by Turkish army.

Turkish army erected the soil barrier yesterday blocking the way of HTS trucks, in an attempt to prevent them from reaching the commercial crossing which HTS intended to open in the area with Syrian regime-controlled areas.

Yesterday, SOHR sources monitored the deployment of the Turkish army near the junction of Katian town, to block HTS trucks planned to enter regime-controlled areas near the town of Ma’ara al-Na’asan.

Accordingly, all roads from Aleppo countryside to Ma’arat al-Na’asan have been cut off. Several Turkish vehicles have been also deployed in Ma’arat al-Na’asan and Shalkh to prevent the passage of large vehicles.