Illustrative image.
On June 20, five munitions fired from the northwestern Syrian region of Greater Idlib by militants hit the government-held town of Jurin in the al-Ghab Plains in the northwestern countryside of Hama.
The munitions landed in residential areas killing a little girl, Massa al-Saleh. The victim’s brother, Hud, and her father were also wounded in the attack.
استشهاد الطفلة ماسة اثر تعرض بلدة جورين لقذائف و صواريخ من جانب الإرهابيين في سهل الغاب _ ريف حماه
شقيقها و والدها و عدد اخر جرحى نتمنى لهم الشفاء #ليست_ثورة pic.twitter.com/Ysxk3JXQRW— 🇸🇾 𝕽𝖊𝖊𝖒 𝖆𝖑𝖓𝖆𝖏𝖊𝖒 🇸🇾 (@reemalnajem_sy) June 20, 2021
Al-Qaeda-affiliated Ansar al-Islam claimed responsibility for the attack. The terrorist group is a very close ally of Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham, the de-facto ruler of Greater Idlib. The group also operates side by side with Turkish-backed forces on several frontlines.
After the deadly attack, several warplanes of the Russian Aerospace Forces were spotted conducting reconnaissance over Greater Idlib. Retaliatory airstrikes are likely being prepared.
According to opposition sources, a Russian Orlan-10 drone crashed near the al-Arba’aine Mount in the southern Idlib countryside as a result of a “technical failure”. This is yet to be confirmed.
The attack on Jurin represents a blatant violation of the ceasefire in Greater Idlib, which was brokered by Russia and Turkey on March 5 of last year. The Syrian Arab Army and its allies will not likely let this attack go unpunished.
Time for the retaking of Idlib by the SAA!
Down with the Turdish terrorists!