2712070 10/04/2015 Russian servicemen attach a Kh-25 high-precision missile to a Su-24 aircraft at the Khmeimim airbase in Syria. Dmitriy Vinogradov/RIA Novosti
On March 13, warplanes of the Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS) carried out a wave of airstrikes on the northwestern Syrian region of Greater Idlib.
At least five airstrikes hit the outskirts of the towns of Takad and Irhab, which are located near the frontline with Syrian government forces in the western countryside of Aleppo. Large explosions were reported in the region.
According to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the airstrikes wiped out a large ammunition depot of al-Qaeda-affiliated Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). No human losses were reported.
عاجل || طيران الإحتلال الروسي يشن عدة غارات جوية على محيط قرية #رحاب بريف حلب الغربي ..#شبكة_أخبار_المعاركhttps://t.co/GR6iNLnDJx pic.twitter.com/QBGGucs4W4
— شبكة أخبار المعارك (@BNN_SYR) March 13, 2021
الطيران الحربي استهدف قبل قليل مواقع للجماعات “الارهابية” على أطراف بلدة رحاب بريف #حلب الغربي. pic.twitter.com/T0HBs5dSaI
— أخبار سوريا الوطن Syria 🇸🇾 (@SyriawatanNews) March 13, 2021
الطيران الحربي الروسي يستهدف مراكز المسلحين على أطراف بلدة #رحاب غربي #حلب. pic.twitter.com/7fJa65vSzO
— خالد اسكيف (@khalediskef) March 13, 2021
This was the second ammunition depot of HTS to be targeted this month. Less than ten days ago, a series of Russian airstrikes destroyed a depot located near Ma’arrat Misrin in eastern Idlib.
Despite the presence of thousands of heavily-armed Turkish troops in different parts of Greater Idlib, HTS remains the de-facto ruler of the region.
HTS leads the al-Fateh al-Mubeen Operations Room, a coalition of al-Qaeda groups and Turkish-backed factions. The coalition is responsible for all military operations against government forces in Greater Idlib.
Al-Fateh al-Mubeen militants violate the ceasefire in Greater Idlib, that was brokered by Russia and Turkey last year, on a daily basis. The VKS responds with airstrikes, while government forces carry out artillery and missile strikes on terrorist targets.
