Earlier this week, three Salafis Sheikhs in Idlib announced an initiative to end the crisis between Ahrar al-Sham and Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) in Idlib province. The initiative of Sheikh Abu Mohammed Al-Sadiq, Sheikh Abdul Razzaq Al-Mahdi and Sheikh Abu Hamza Al-Masri, included four main terms:
- The cessation of hostilities from 12 pm on Wednesday, July 19, 2017.
- Each party shall identify three persons authorized to make a decision on behalf of its faction.
- Each party shall assign 3 names of independents to be a referee in the event of a dispute.
- The delegates of the two factions shall meet with independent representatives to resolve the dispute between the two parties and to establish a binding and comprehensive vision that takes into account the political, military and civil rights of all parties within seven days from the date of commencement.
Ahrar al-Sham released an official statement supporting the initiative, and said it was waiting for the HTS response, but announced that it would not stop repelling HTS attacks.
#الجبهة_الإسلامية #أحرار_الشام
تصريح صحفي pic.twitter.com/BB7luxdAgM— محمد أبو زيد (@Ahrar_SpokesMan) 19 July 2017
In turn, HTS continued its military operations against Ahrar al-Sham in Idlib and managed to capture Asqut in the western countryside of Idlib and Harsh Abdin in the southern Idlib countryside.
HTS also announced that it had repelled an attack of the convoy of Ahrar al-Sham consisting of 20 vehicles, a BMP-1 and a battle tank that had tried to advance towards its positions in Sarmada in northern Idlib countryside. HTS also announced that it destroyed the tank.
The Nour al-Din al-Zanki Movement announced that it had split from HTS as a result of its actions and its rejection of a peaceful solution so far. Ahrar al-Sham issued an official statement welcoming the decision.
#الجبهة_الإسلامية#أحرار_الشام
تصريح صحفي حول موقف حركة نور الدين الزنكي الأخير pic.twitter.com/MgE2JxOiPC— محمد أبو زيد (@Ahrar_SpokesMan) 20 July 2017
Meanwhile, the Desert sector of Ahrar al-Sham announced its defection and that it will join HTS.
Click to see the full-size image
From its side, Ahrar al-Sham announced capturing Qala’at Al-Madiq, which is considered one of the main crossings with the government-held areas. It’s believed that the main aim of Ahrar al-Sham is to maintain the smuggling line between the Bab al-Hawa crossing on the Turkish-Syrian border and the Qala’at Al-Madiq crossing. It’s worth mentioning that money is considered the main reason of disagreement between HTS and Ahrar Al-Sham.
For whom do YOU guys Root for? I stay Neutral and enjoy the Game they play :)
Logically we should root for the side that is weakest. And root for them with air support and logistical support. So the two sides can go on killing each other. And the SAA can go on reclaiming land from ISIS.
Long may they fight, for whoever comes out on top, we probably won’t like it.
Unfortunately there are still civilians trapped there, so hopefully the ISIS campaign will soon be completed so that the SAA can free the rest of the civilians in the country.
It’s likely to be the Kurds, who the SAA tortured before the war, who will liberate Idlib.
The Kurds in Afrin have to contend with Turkish forces and the FSA the US just might ok the attack as it is looking bleak for anymore land grabs in the east for the Kurds. They have been reporting like usual false captures again , they make me laugh them and the US with their bogus advances.
It has been hard for the US to get a whole lot out of the PYD. The US just barely got the PYD to turn away from the Jarabulus pocket and pushing to the sea, and instead focus on liberating Raqqa. But the Kurds desperately need the US human shields (the Special Forces) to protect against Turkish bombing massacres. The average US grunt special froces really like the Kurds, and so if they suspect Turkey might attack YPG/YPJ bases, the Special Forces go and hang out with their friends and let Insurlik know they’re there. I’m very well read Terra Cotta. There is a propaganda war flying in all directions. I suggest you read the Lebhanese-Syrian academic Bassan Haddad to understand how the US took advantage of the corrupt Ba’athists who had run the economy into the ground. Look into how the Kurds have been oppressed and tortured and curfewed with their cities bulldozed, etc., shot in their streets for generations. The Kurds are the parallel population to the Palestinians. Are you against Israel for how they’ve occupied?.. Well then ask yourself, why aren’t you against the Ba’athists and Turkey? The democratic councils, the feminism, the cooperative economics are all real. The PYD is arresting Barzani operatives, because Barzani is at war with Rojava, and explicitly not cooperating with any other Kurdish groups, because he wants to be King, and also because Turkey will invade him if there is Pan Kurdish unity. There is a third narrative here. And most people, it would seem including you, are totally missing it, and choosing a weaker evil over a the grand imperialist evil because you don’t see an alternative.
Let them kill each other.