Russian Airstrikes Hit Militants Positions In Syria’s Greater Idlib After Warnings (Photos)

A Russian Su-24 strike aircraft in the sky over the Khmeimim airbase in Syria. Photo: Dmitriy Vinogradov / RIA Novosti

On August 5, a series of Russian airstrikes hit the northwestern Syrian region of Greater Idlib, which is controlled by al-Qaeda-affiliated Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and several other terrorist groups.

At least four airstrikes targeted the western outskirts of Idlib city, where several headquarters, training camps and ammunition depots of HTS are known to be located. Syrian opposition activists said that the airstrikes killed three and wounded at least six others. The casualties were most likely militants of HTS.

The airstrikes came following two warnings from the Russian Ministry of Defense. On August 2, the ministry’s Center for Reconciliation in Syria revealed information about a plot to launch suicide attacks against Russian facilities and patrols in Syria.

Later on August 4, the center said that the Russian military group in the country is ready to take deceive action in response to an increase in attempts to launch drones from Greater Idlib. A day earlier, the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) shot down five armed drones that attempted to attack its positions near the region.

HTS and its allies in Greater Idlib increased attacks against nearby government-held areas in recent months in a violation of a ceasefire that was brokered by Russia and Turkey more than three years ago.

The escalation is thought to be an attempt to sabotage the Turkish-Syrian normalization process which is sponsored by both Russia and Iran. HTS and its allies fear that an agreement between Ankara and Damascus could lead to a Turkish military withdrawal from the region. This would leave the door open for the SAA to resume ground operations there.

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