Renewed bombardment | Turkish forces and their proxies shell villages near M4, after 48 hours of tense calm on Ain Issa frontlines

Turkish forces and their proxy factions shelled, with heavy artillery and mortars, the villages of Jahbal and Al-Mushayrifah on the “M4” international highway, to the east of Ain Issa silos in the northern countryside of Al-Raqqah. The Turkish bombardment coincided with clashes with medium and heavy weapons on frontlines of the two villages, but no casualties have been reported.

 

This development comes after 48 hours of tense calm on these frontlines.

 

On January 19, Observatory activists reported renewed clashes, this evening, with medium and heavy machineguns between Turkish-backed factions and Syria Democratic Forces, following an infiltration attempt by the factions onto the frontline of Mu’allaq village in the east of Ain Issa district. The clashes coincided with exchange of shelling between the two sides.

 

While on January 14, SOHR activists said that SDF targeted and destroyed a mechanised digger belonging to Ankara-backed factions, which was erecting soil barriers and fortifying posts on Jahbal frontline in the eastern countryside of Ain Issa, north of Al-Raqqah city.

 

According to Syrian Observatory sources, the attack came with a green light by the Russian forces stationed in Ain Issa. It is worth noting that this was the first time for Russia to give the green light to SDF for such attacks.

 

A day earlier, SOHR activists monitored clashes with medium and heavy weapons between SDF and Turkish-backed factions, following an infiltration attempt by Turkish-backed factions onto frontlines of the villages of Al-Mushayrifa and Jahbal in the countryside of Ain Issa, north of Al-Raqqah. No casualties were reported. These clashes came after about a week of tense calm on these frontlines.