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In a new violation of the Russian-Turkish demilitarized zone agreement, radical militants launched at least two rockets at residential areas in the Christian town of Mahardah in the northern Hama countryside on February 7.
“The rockets hit the northeastern district of the town causing material damage … No citizens were injured,” the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) reporter in Hama said.
The Syrian Arab Army (SAA) retaliated to the rocket attack by shelling several positions of radical militants in the towns of al-Lataminah, Kafr Zita, al-Sayyad and Hisrayah.
Under the Russian-Turkish agreement, radical militants are not allowed to have any presence within the demilitarized zone around the governorate of Idlib. This term is yet to be implemented.
Despite the failure of the demilitarized zone agreement, the Damascus government and its allies are yet to provide a full-scale response to constant violations. This allowed radical militants to expand their influence more and more in Idlib province and even within the demilitarized zone itself.
