A Russian Su-24 takes off on a combat mission at Hemeimeem airbase, Syria, on Thursday, Oct. 22, 2015. IMAGE: AP PHOTO/VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV
On February 6, a new wave of Russian airstrikes hit the northwestern Syrian region of Greater Idlib where several terrorist groups are active.
The airstrikes targeted the outskirts of the town of Kafer Shalaya in the southern countryside of Idlib. The town is located some 14 kilometers away from one of the main frontlines with Syrian government forces.
الطيران الحربي الروسي يستهدف اماكن انتشار “الجماعات المسلحة” في محيط بلدة كفرشلايا بجبل الزاوية بريف إدلب الجنوبي pic.twitter.com/1WWNhBTudX
— ملك السلطنه (@jamlyyyyy_) February 6, 2022
Russian warplanes carried out a series of airstrikes on Kafer Shalaya and the nearby town of al-Rami on February 3. The airstrikes took place a few hours after a US counter-terrorism raid that ended with the death of ISIS top leader Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi.
The recent Russian airstrikes on Greater Idlib were likely just a response to violations of the ceasefire in the region, which was brokered by Russia and Turkey more than a year ago. In the last few days, several minor ceasefire violations by al-Qaeda-affiliated Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the de-facto ruler of Greater Idlib, and its allies were reported.
Despite many violations, the ceasefire in Greater Idlib is still holding up. The situation in the region, where a large Turkish force is deployed, will not likely change any time soon.
Good. Kill habibi.