Turkey’s military build-up | Forces fortify their new military post on archaeological hill in Sahl Al-Ghab, and popular discontent over destruction of the hill

Reliable sources have informed SOHR that Turkish forces have fortified their new post on the archaeological hill of Qastoun in Sahl Al-Ghab, north-west of Hama. Civil sources have told the Syrian Observatory that the archaeological hill was vandalized and bulldozed as a result of fortifications by the Turks.

On January 18, SOHR sources reported that Turkish forces established a new military post in the area of “Putin-Erdogan”. The new point was established in the town of Qastoun in Sahl Al-Ghab, north-west of Hama, after reconnaissance tours in the area for several days, where vehicles, soldiers, military and logistical supplies were brought in to the area.

On December 10, reliable sources informed SOHR that members of Hayyaat Tahrir Al-Sham swept away parts of the archaeological site of “Tal Afes” in the west of Saraqeb in rural Idlib, under the pretext of using the soil to boost positions and erect barriers on road within the fire range of regime forces stationed in Saraqeb. Moreover, heavy diggers and earth-moving machineries were seen excavating the outskirts of the archaeological hill, searching for artifacts and antiquities.

“Tal Afes”, which is one of the most prominent archaeological landmarks in Idlib province, has been subjected to frequent digging and excavation work by the factions which earlier captured the area.

HTS had previously carried out excavation work in several archaeological hills in Idlib and Hama countryside, the last of which were Tal Ghannam in Jisr Al-Shughour countryside, Tal Hamaka and Al-Qarqour in Sahl Al-Ghab in the north-west of Hama.