The Syrian Observatory For Human Rights

Violent clashes break out between Ahrar al-Sham and Hayyaat Tahrir Al-Sham and shooting on a demonstration that raised the Syrian Revolution flag causes wounded

Several areas in Idlib city and its countryside are witnessing considerable tension accompanied by mobilization in the ranks of the major factions in the province, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights learned that the tension came after shooting on a demonstration that raised the flag of Syrian revolution on al-Saha Square in Idlib city which injured 3 persons at least.
The demonstrators and people from the area accused fighters of Hayyaat Tahrir Al-Sham of shooting at the demonstration one day after unknown persons raised black flags in Idlib city written on them “La Ilaha Illa ALLAH Mohammad Rasul ALLAh” in Arabic, which means “no God but ALLAH, Muhammad is the Messenger of ALLAH”, where the local sources confirmed that the banners were raised in the public squares, and some people accused Hayyaat Tahrir Al-Sham of raising the flags as “a response to raising the Syrian revolution flags in the city”.

This tension was followed by the eruption of violent clashes between Hayyaat Tahrir Al-Sham and the Islamic Movement of Ahrar Al-Sham in areas of Iblin, Ihsim, Hzarin, Kafruma, Maratah and Kafruma, and the clashes extended to al-Hbit area and other areas in Idlib province, after attacks by Hayyaat Tahrir Al-Sham on most of the areas, and, counter-attacks by Ahrar al-Sham on sites of Hayyaat Tahrir Al-Sham, the clashes were accompanied by exchange of targeting, and confirmed information about casualties in the ranks of both parties, in addition to the death of a lady, amid confirmed information about the control of Ahrar al-Sham for sites and headquarters of Hayyaat Tahrir al-Sham, while several areas in the countryside of Idlib witnessed demonstrations and protests demanding the halt to fighting, also the people demanded Hayyaat Tahrir Al-Sham to stop their attacks on civilians and on the holders of the Syrian revolution flag, amid information about the capturing fighters of both parties, while Ahrar al-Sham accused fighters of Hayyaat Tahrir al-Sham of arresting the head of Jabal Al-Zawiyah court.

Also 3 days ago a state of alert prevailed the movement of Ahrar al-Sham and Hayyaat Tahrir Al-Sham after the clashes that took place between both parties in the vicinity of Tal al-Toqan area, amid fears and alert among the people of Saraqeb and Tel al-Toqan and other areas in the eastern countryside of Idlib because of the clashes that took place between the two parties in the vicinity of Tel Toqan area, and local sources asserted that both Ahrar al-Sham and Tahrir al-Sham brought reinforcement and fortified their positions and points in the vicinity of Tel Toqan and Saraqeb, amid warnings issued by the people of the town of Saraqeb, that they will respond to any attack on their town, while mediations are being carried out by military and “legitimate” figures to reach full truce, after talks about an agreement reached between both parties to exchange captives and prisoners between both parties and arbitration to settle the dispute and remove the checkpoints set by both parties.

The SOHR published earlier that a violent explosion on the 12th of July 2017 shook the vicinity of Idlib city, and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights learned that the explosion was caused by a booby trapped vehicle that targeted the textile factory where fighters of Hayyaat Tahrir Al-Sham were located, and several reliable sources confirmed to the Observatory that the explosion caused casualties, where at least 8 fighters were killed and more than 18 others were injured with varying severity, and the death toll is expected to rise because there are some people in critical situation.