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On March 18, clashes broke out between the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) and the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army in the northern Aleppo countryside.
The clashes took place in the vicinity of the village of Tadef to the south of the town of al-Bab. This part of the northern Aleppo countryside has been occupied by Turkish forces since 2017. Now, Turkish-occupied areas surrounding al-Bab are referred by Turksih sources as the “Ephrata Shield” region.
According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, heavy machine guns were used in the clashes, which lasted for several hours. The SAA and Turkish forces also exchanged artillery fire.
“Regime forces shelled the factions’ areas of influence on the Hazwan axis in the countryside of al-Bab, north of Aleppo, the Turkish forces responded and shelled the posts of the regime forces,” the London-based monitoring group said in a report.
No casualties were reported as a result of the clashes, which reflect the fragility of the ceasefire in the northern Aleppo countryside.
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Last month, several pro-government and opposition sources reported that the SAA is preparing to kick off a large-scale ground operation to liberate al-Bab. Back then, the army deployed large reinforcements south of al-Bab.
Following the reports, the SAA shelled the outskirts of al-Bab on several occasions. A number of missile strikes also hit oil traffickers operating north of the town.
Any attack by the SAA and its allies on al-Bab will likely lead to a heated confrontation with the Turkish military. Hundreds of Turkish troops are known to be deployed in the outskirts of al-Bab and in nearby areas.
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Logistics war. Let’s see how well the head-choppers can hold the place without fuel. Turkish artillery might slow the SAA advance, but it’s not going to motivate a cold, hungry head-chopper running out of Captagon who knows his pickup only has a half-tank of fuel left for fleeing north. SNA isn’t even trained on emergency tactical cartwheel withdrawal, so they’re vulnerable at close ranges.
The more melted Toyotas,,the better we are doing. SAA should at least shell them day night, at least on a daily basis.
I don’t recall much heavy artillery use by the SAA. I don’t know if it’s a matter of guns or ammo. Russia doesn’t seem to be supplying anything to them in that regards. It would probably be a bad idea for the SAA to get into an artillery duel with Turkey, anyways. The Turks have lots and lots of heavy, long-range artillery and seem pretty skilled. The SAA would lose that fight.
Oh no, they didn’t have a slightest longer memory. How about those Smerches and Tochkas. Turks doesn’t have these. I said shelling them on daily basis, not turks, not yet, but them Wahhabis would improve situation in Norther Aleppo.
This is more like it,the SAA need to take that town up to the Turdish border,when this is all over the Syrians should build massive border defences between Turkey and Syria also Jordan and have full control of that border,no matter how long it takes,i am sure the Chinese will help with construction,a cordon sanitair with mine fields and tank traps and electrified fences,this can never be allowed to happen again.
Defence in depth is the key, in my opinion. Forts and bunkers are known obstacles that throughout history have been expensive white elephants.