On November 12, warplanes of the Russian Aerospace Forces carried out a series of airstrikes on militants’ positions in the southern part of the northwestern Syrian region of Greater Idlib.
According to the London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the airstrikes targeted positions in the vicinity of the towns of al-Bara and Ehsim. The monitoring group said no human losses were reported as a result of the intense airstrikes.
Кадры нанесения авиационного удара ВКС России по целям незаконных вооруженных формирований в окрестностях населенного пункта Аль-Бара, мухафаза Идлиб, Сирия. pic.twitter.com/DBrSo3qOrb
— SwankyStas (@StasSwanky) November 13, 2020
Авиация ВКС России нанесла серию авиаударов по объектам незаконных вооруженных формирований в окрестностях населенного пункта Аль-Бара, мухафаза Идлиб, Сирия. pic.twitter.com/7N79eV9WvG
— SwankyStas (@StasSwanky) November 13, 2020
Earlier in the morning, the Syrian Arab Army shelled the towns of Sarjah, Benin and Deir Sunbul in the southern Idlib countryside.
Сирийская артиллерия работает по позициям незаконных вооруженных формирований в Джебель аз-Завия в Идлибе. pic.twitter.com/Ms7PgSV3wR
— SwankyStas (@StasSwanky) November 13, 2020
Most likely, these strikes were a response to the repeated provocations of Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and its Turkish-backed allies.
HTS and its allies are violating the ceasefire in Greater Idlib, which was brokered by Russia and Turkey on March 5, on a regular basis. Last month, more than 30 Syrian service members were killed in attacks launched from the region.
The situation in Greater Idlib is far from stable. Syrian government forces may launch a military operation in the region before the winter. This will likely lead to another military confrontation with Turkish forces.
The Turkish military maintains more than 60 posts throughout Greater Idlib. Thousands of heavily-armed Turkish troops are deployed there.
