A Russian Su-24 strike aircraft in the sky over the Khmeimim airbase in Syria. Photo: Dmitriy Vinogradov / RIA Novosti
On December 26, warplanes of the Russian Aerospace Forces carried out a series of airstrikes on the northwestern Syrian region of Greater Idlib where several terrorist groups are based.
The airstrikes targeted several positions of al-Qaeda-affiliated Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the de-facto ruler of Greater Idlib, and its allies in the outskirts of the town of Darat Izza in the western countryside of Aleppo.
غارة جوية من قبل الاحتلال #الروسي تستهدف محيط #دارة_عزة غربي #حلب ومازال الطيران في الأجواء pic.twitter.com/zZ2Kq2KBJs
— غياث فرزات (@farzat1711) December 26, 2021
Just a day earlier, a wave of Russian airstrikes targeted a number of positions of HTS and its allies near the town of Ma’arrat Misrin in the eastern countryside of Idlib.
غارات للمحتل #الروسي على غرب مدينة #معرة_مصرين بمحافظة #إدلب#سوريا pic.twitter.com/Hno9SsXiPj
— Eman Sultan (@EmanSultan3382) December 25, 2021
غـ.ـ.ـارة جـ.ـوية روسية 🇷🇺 غرب بلدة معرة مصرين بريف إدلب🇸🇾 هذا المساء. pic.twitter.com/zU9xyR8YIp
— SAM 🇸🇾 🎅🏻 (@SAMSyria0) December 25, 2021
آثار الدمار الذي خلفه طيران الاحتلال #الروسي محيط #معرة_مصرين ولا أنباء عن وجود إصابات حتى هذه اللحظة pic.twitter.com/3A26xfrxoG
— غياث فرزات (@farzat1711) December 25, 2021
The airstrikes were likely a response to recent violations of the ceasefire in Greater Idlib, which was brokered by Russia and Turkey last year.
For most of the past week, the situation in Greater Idlib was calm. A sever humanitarian and economic crisis in the region forced HTS and its allies to tune down their provocations. The terrorist group faced much criticism over its poor management. Now, the group is escalating again.
Turkey, who maintains a large force in Greater Idlib, is clearly satisfied with the situation in the region. However, it’s unclear for how long Damascus and its allies, first and foremost Russia, will tolerate this abnormal situation.
Condolences to the fallen wahabimossad and CIAisis operators. May they rest in pieces…
Kataib Hezbollah should have the same treatment!