“Putin-Erdogan” area in March 2023 | H-T-S military operations and counter attacks by regime forces leave nearly 50 combatants de*ad, amid ongoing suspension of Russian airstrikes

The “de-escalation zone”, stretching from the north-eastern mountains of Latakia to the north-western suburbs of Aleppo city running through both Hama and Idlib, has been under an “alleged” and in-name-only ceasefire agreed upon after a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan on March 5, 2020.

 

However, that region has experienced a noticeable escalation of military operations by Russian and regime forces and their loyal militias, including daily bombardment with tens of rockets and artillery shells and Russian airstrikes, which all have caused significant human losses and material damage. Meanwhile, Turkey, the “de-escalation” guarantor, seems satisfied with its “timid” bombardment of regime positions, which has not restrained this alarming military escalation which is mainly concentrated in the southern countryside of Idlib, as well as affecting east Idlib countryside, towns and villages of Sahl Al-Ghab in the north-western countryside of Hama, Latakia mountains and western Aleppo countryside.

 

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) has monitored and tracked all developments and violations against Syrian people in the “de-escalation zone” in March 2023, including the military escalation by Russian and regime forces, incidents and attacks, deteriorating security, instability and disastrous humanitarian situation. These key developments can be summarised in the following main points:

 

 

Acts of violence leave casualties

 

In March 2023, SOHR documented the death of 56 people in acts of violence in the “de-escalation zone;” they are as follows:

 

-Eight civilians including a child:

 

• One person was killed by regime forces.

 

• Three civilians were killed in Turkish Jandarma.

 

• Four civilians were killed in incidents of security disorder.

 

-14 members of Hayyaat Tahrir Al-Sham and jihadist groups were killed by regime forces.

 

-34 members of regime forces, including two officers, were killed by rebels and jihadists.

 

 

Military escalation: Scores of operations leave casualties

 

In March, SOHR documented the death of a civilian in bombardment by regime forces, as well as the injury of six other civilians, including a woman.

 

SOHR activists also documented 27 operations in the “de-escalation zone” in the past month, including attacks, gunfire by snipers, bombardment and clashes, which left 48 combatants dead. In addition, these operations left over 40 combatants injured. The fatalities can be distributed as follows:

 

• 34 members of regime forces, including a lieutenant and a captain.

 

• 14 HTS members.

 

March’s operations in the “de-escalation zone” can be summarised as follows:

 

• March 2: A regime soldier was killed due to shelling with artillery shells by “Al-Fath Al-Mubin” on regime positions in Sahl Al-Ghab this evening.

 

• March 2: A regime soldier was killed in bombardment by “Al-Fath Al-Mubin” factions on a regime position on Otayrah frontline in Jabal Al-Turkman in the northern countryside of Latakia.

 

• March 5: A regime soldier was killed by a sniper of “HTS” on the frontline of Saraqeb, east of Idlib within “Putin-Erdogan” area.

 

• March 5: A regime soldier was shot dead by members of thermal sniper brigades of HTS on Harsh Kafr Nobl frontline in southern Aleppo countryside within “Putin-Erdogan” area.

 

• March 5: A regime soldier was killed by a sniper of “HTS” on the frontline of Al-Atareb town in the western countryside of Aleppo within “Putin-Erdogan” area.

 

• March 11: Regime forces shelled the eastern outskirts of Al-Atareb in the western countryside of Aleppo in “Putin-Erdogan” area, killing two members of Hayyaat Tahrir Al-Sham and injuring five civilians, including a woman.

 

• March 11: A regime soldier was killed due to shelling by factions of “Al-Fath Al-Mubin” operation room with artillery shells on regime positions in the 46th Regiment in western Aleppo countryside within “Putin-Erdogan” area.

 

• March 12: A regime soldier with the rank of lieutenant from the occupied Golan was shot dead by members of “Al-Fath Al-Mubin” operation room on the 46th Regiment in western Aleppo countryside.

 

• March 15: A regime soldier was killed by an “HTS” sniper on the frontline of Saraqeb in the eastern countryside of Idlib.

 

• March 17: Five regime soldiers were killed and six others were injured in the infiltration operation which was carried out a day earlier by “Liwaa Abu Bakr Al-Siddiq,” which operates under the banner of Hayyaat Tahrir Al-Sham, on regime positions on Al-Fataterah frontline in the southern countryside of Idlib.

 

• March 17: A woman was injured in an attack by regime forces with heavy machineguns on Afis village in eastern Idlib countryside.

 

• March 17: Two regime soldiers were killed and a member of Luwaa Uthman Ibn Affan was injured in a sneak attack by Luwaa Uthman Ibn Affan of HTS on regime positions on Nahshaba frontline in northern Lattakia countryside.

 

• March 20: Two regime soldiers were shot dead by snipers of Hayyaat Tahrir Al-Sham on Kafr Batikh frontline in the eastern countryside of Idlib.

 

• March 23: A regime soldier was killed by snipers of “Al-Fath Al-Mubin” factions on Al-Fatirah town frontline in the southern countryside of Idlib.

 

• March 23: SOHR activists documented the death of five regime soldiers and five HTS members in clashes between regime forces and HTS following an infiltration operation on the frontline of the 46th Regiment in west Aleppo countryside. The clashes also left ten HTS members and six regime soldiers injured.

 

• March 24: A young man was killed in heavy artillery fire by regime forces on Ibzimu town in the western countryside of Aleppo in “Putin-Erdogan” area.

 

• March 24: Two regime soldiers were shot dead by members of “Al-Fath Al-Mubin” operation room on the frontlines of Hawsh Kafr Nobl and Al-Fatatra in southern Idlib countryside.

 

• March 25: An HTS member was killed after he sneaked alone to regime positions on Kafr Bateekh fronltine eastern of Idlib and clashed with regime soldiers.

 

• March 26: A regime soldier from Al-Dar Al-Kabirah town in the northern countryside of Homs was killed by snipers of “Al-Fath Al-Mubin” operations room factions on the frontline of Al-Ruwaihah in the southern countryside of Idlib.

 

• March 26: A regime soldier from Tayr Jamlah village in Masyaf countryside was killed in clashes with heavy and medium weapons between regime forces and factions of “Al-Fath Al-Mubin” operations room on the frontline of the 46th Regiment in western Idlib.

 

• March 27: A regime soldier from Sabinah in Rif Dimashq was killed by snipers of “Al-Fath Al-Mubin” operations room factions on the frontline of Kabanah in Jabal Al-Akrad north of Latakia.

 

• March 27: Two members of HTS were killed by regime shelling on Kafr Ta’al frontline in western Aleppo countryside.

 

• March 27: A member of “HTS” was killed earlier due to a bombardment by the regime forces on the 46th regiment in the western countryside of Aleppo.

 

• March 31: Members of “Abi Obaydah Bin Al-Jarrah” Brigade which operates under the banner of Hayyaat Tahrir Al-Sham executed an infiltration operation on regime positions on the frontline of Al-Dana village near Maarrat Al-Nu’man area in the southern countryside of Idlib. The attack left three fatalities among regime forces, including a captain who was killed in artillery fire which preceded the infiltration operation, as well as the injury of four other soldiers. Also, HTS-backed brigade lost a member during the attack.

 

• March 31: A commander of a group of Al-Zobair Bin Al-Awam Brigade of HTS was killed by artillery of the regime forces, while he was checking positions of HTS on Folaifal frontline in Jabal Al-Zawiya in southern Idlib countryside.

 

• March 31: A regime soldier was shot dead by members of Tahrir Al-Sham on the frontline of Basraton village western of Aleppo.

 

 

Hundreds of shells hit more than 40 positions

 

Suspension of Russian airstrikes on the “de-escalation zone” continued in March. However, SOHR sources reported ongoing bombardment by regime ground forces and their proxies, where more than 1,700 artillery shells and rockets hit military and residential positions in areas under the control of Hayyaat Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) and Jihadist groups and factions. The attacks targeted positions in the rural areas of Aleppo, Idlib, Hama and Latakia.

 

Regime attacks are distributed regionally as follows:

 

• Aleppo: 550 shells and rockets hit the villages of Kafr Nouran, Kafr Amah, Taqad, Tadeel, Kafr Taal, the surrounding areas of Al-Atareb.

 

• Idlib: 600 shells and rockets hit the villages of Bayanin, Hursh Bayanin, Sfouhen, Al-Rouwayah, Al-Fatirah, Kansafra, Maarrat Alya, Deir Sonbol, Al-Barah, Maarat Al-Naasan, Ghaniyah, Sheikh Sandiyan, Fulayfel, Mantaf, Marblit, Kadourah, Saan, Afes, Musaybeen, Al-Nayreb and Al-Kufair.

 

• Hama: 300 shells and rockets hit Al-Sarmaniya, Al-Mabaqer, Al-Mashyak, Al-Ankawi, Kharbah Al-Naqous, Tel Waset, Al-Mansourah, Al-Qarqour and Al-Qahera.

 

• Latakia countryside: 250 shells and rockets hit Al-Tuffahiyah frontline, Al-Safiyyat, the hills of Kabanah, Deir Al-Akrad and other frontline in Jabal Al-Turkman.

 

 

Ongoing security chaos

 

Also, in March, SOHR documented six incidents of security disorder in areas controlled by Hayyaat Tahrir Al-Sham and opposition factions in Idlib city and countryside. Those attacks left six fatalities: four civilians, including a child, and two unidentified people.

 

Further details can be summarised as follows:

 

• March 4: A civilian was shot dead by members of the General Security Service of HTS in Al-Jama’a neighbourhood in Idlib city, when he resisted the arrest.

 

• March 6: A child died affected by bruises in his chest and suffocation, due to disputes with his colleagues, while they were in the yard of “Shuhadaa Tarmanin” School in Tarmanin town in northern Idlib countryside, where the body was handed over to the child’s parents.

 

• March 11: Residents and rescue teams found unknown body dumped among rocks in agricultural land in the vicinity of Al-Nayrab in the eastern countryside of Idlib.

 

• March 11: A civilian of special needs was shot dead in Darkosh area in western Idlib countryside, where it was revealed that he was shot several times from a short distance.

 

• March 12: A young man killed his father and buried him in the garden of the house nearly in Sarmin city in Idlib countryside within HTS-held areas.

 

• March 22: Unidentified man aged 50 was found dead with gunshot wounds on the road to Maarrat Misrin in the northern countryside of Idlib.

 

 

Living conditions deteriorates even further and natural disasters leave eight fatalities

 

Thousands of families in Idlib have been struggling with the repercussions of the aftermath of the earthquake which hit north-west Syria on February 6, where more camps and resettlement centres have been established recently to accommodate those who lost their houses. This coincides with the already catastrophic humanitarian situation in north-west Syria region.

 

It is worth noting that many quake-hit families are still inhabiting makeshift tents and resettlement centres, fearing the collapsing of cracked buildings, while no workable solutions for their crisis looms in the horizon still.

 

In the past month, SOHR documented the death of eight people of those who have been affected by the earthquake due to fires and other natural disasters; they are as follows:

 

• Three little siblings were killed in a fire in a makeshift camp accommodating quake-hit families.

 

• Two little siblings were killed in a fire in their house.

 

• A civilian died when a part of a house cracked due to the dfevastating earthquake fell on him.

 

• A man and a little girl were killed in the collapsing of parts of houses due to a strong windstorm.

 

Here are further details:

 

• March 1: Two siblings, a boy and a girl, died of severe burns they had sustained due to a fire in their tent which they were displaced to, after the earthquake, in Al-Ghazalah village, north of Darkoush town in the western countryside of Idlib. Another child died on March 4 affected by the severe burns he sustained due to a fire in his family’s tent which they were displaced to in Al-Ghazalah village, north of Darkoush town in the western countryside of Idlib. Accordingly, the number of fatalities in that fire rose to three children, all of whom died after having been transported to hospitals in Turkish territory.

 

• March 2: Two little brothers died of suffocation due to a fire in their house, and a man had wounds in his hand, while he was attempting to open the door to help the children in Al-Dana city in the north of Idlib.

 

• March 6: A civilian died after a wall fell from a building, which had cracked due to the devastating earthquake, near Hanano school in Idlib city north-western of Syria.

 

• March 6: A wind storm hit Syrian regions and strongly affected the camp area in north-western Syria and blew away tents. The storm uprooted tens of tents in camps and resettlement centers on the outskirts of Jesr Al-Shughur city and Basmah camp near Zarzour, north of Jesr Al-Shughur. Tens of makeshift tents that were newly set to house people who are affected by the earthquake in Jinderes in rural Afrin, were also damaged.

 

• March 18: Heavy rainfall hit areas in north and west Syria, which caused considerable material damage, especially in refugee camps and makeshift camps which have recently established after Syria’s devastating earthquake. Inhabitants of those camps face great challenges, especially with the lack of basic livelihood. Meanwhile, the road between Arab Said and Maarrat Masrin was blocked due to floods which swept rocks on the road. Also, tents in Sheikh Bahr camps in Sahl Al-Rouj, Al-Imdad camp in Maarrat Masrin and another camp in Salqin have been damaged. In addition, the rainstorm affected villages in Ain Shaib, Adawan and Ara in Sahl Al-Rouj. Moreover, water leaked into tents in Kherbet Al-Jouz in Idlib countryside, Zarzour near Darkoush town and a camp accommodating quake-hit families on the outskirts of Jisr Al-Shughour city.

 

• March 29: A strong windstorm hit Syria causing substantial material damage in camps and resettlement centres in north-west Syrian region. The strong wind blew away 85 tents in refugee camps in Idlib and Aleppo countryside. In this context, a young man and a little girl died after parts of houses in Kurin and Maarrat Misrin collapsed due to the strong windstorm.

 

 

Violent Turkish border pushbacks

 

SOHR documented the death of three Syrians by the Turkish border guards (Jandarma) in the past month: one was shot dead and the two others were tortured to death. Also, a boy drowned in Al-Assi river, which separates Syrian territory from Turkish territory, as he was attempting to cross into Turkey.

 

Further details of those incidents can be summarised as follows:

 

• March 7: A 15 years-old child drowned in Al-Assi river in Darkoush area in western Idlib, while attempting to sneak into Turkey. Al-Assi river separates areas in Idlib from Iskenderun region, along an area stretching from Darkosh to Salqin in north-western countryside of Idlib.

 

• March 12: A young man died under torture by Turkish Jandarma. The man was among a group of nine young men who were arrested, while they were attempting to cross into Turkey from Harem city in Idlib countryside, and tortured brutally.

 

• March 17: Turkish authorities handed over the body of a young man, who had died under torture by Turkish Jandarma on March 12, to authorities in Syrian territory. The Turkish Jandarma dumped the victim’s body near the border strip and prevented anybody to get closer for five days, before delivering the body to Syrian territory.

 

• March 14: A 66 years-old civilian from Khirbat Al-Joz western of Idlib died of wounds he sustained when he was shot a day earlier by members of the Turkish Border Guards “Jandarma”, while he was ploughing his land near border with Liwaa Iskenderun in north-western Idlib.

 

 

Humanitarian aid convoys cross into Idlib

 

On March 8, a UN convoy carrying aids entered through Bab Al-Hawa to help those affected by the earthquake that hit north western of Syria and regime-held areas on February 6, where the convoy comprises 27 trucks carrying humanitarian aids including food baskets, flour and vegetable oil.

 

While on March 9, a delegation of the United Nations arrived in disaster-stricken areas in north-west Syria region, after crossing through Bab Al-Hawa crossing. The Delegation headed to camps in Qah area in the northern countryside of Idlib, which accommodate thousands of families who have been displaced from their areas in different Syrian provinces due to the violent military battles by Russian and regime forces. That area also hosts camps which have been recently established to accommodate families affected by the devastating earthquake.

 

Also, on March 10, a UN humanitarian aid convoy crossed into disaster-stricken areas in north-west Syria through Bab Al-Hawa crossing on the Syria-Turkey border. The convoy comprised 41 trucks carrying flour, food baskets, tents and medical supplies.

 

 

As a human rights organisation, we, at the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), call upon all international powers concerned with Syria’s affairs and the international community to intervene immediately and put an end to the bloodshed in Syria, as well as applying international humanitarian laws and keeping civilians away from military operations and conflicts.

 

We also demand that Russia and Turkey, the “de-escalation” guarantors, comply with the ceasefire agreement and stop all violations, including intensive bombardment and airstrikes, which only affect civilians who seek a safe haven in the “de-escalation zone”, fleeing from the repression of the Syrian regime and its security services.