A Russian Su-24 takes off on a combat mission at Hemeimeem airbase, Syria, on Thursday, Oct. 22, 2015. IMAGE: AP PHOTO/VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV
A new wave of Syrian and Russian strikes has targeted the northwestern Syrian region of Greater Idlib, which is controlled by al-Qaeda-affiliated Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS).
In a statement released on August 28, the Syrian Ministry of Defense said that the strikes were carried out in response to recent attacks that targeted Syrian Arab Army (SAA) positions in the southern Idlib countryside and the northwestern countryside of Hama.
The most notable attack was a tunnel bombing that targeted a position located near the town of Milaja in the southern Idlib countryside on August 26. At least 11 soldiers were reportedly killed in the attack and a subsequent raid which were carried out by HTS and of its closest allies, Ansar al-Tawhid.
The retaliatory strikes targeted headquarters of both HTS and Ansar al-Tawhid, the Syrian MoD said in its statement, adding that military equipment were destroyed and four militants were killed.
The ministry and news sources released footage showing some of the recent Syrian and Russian strikes that targeted Greater Idlib.
The repeated attacks by HTS and its allies represent a violation of the ceasefire in Greater Idlib, which was brokered by Russia and Turkey last year.
Earlier this month, dozens of militants of HTS and the Turkistan Islamic Party were killed or wounded in a wave of Syrian and Russian. However, the terrorist groups were not deterred. This shows the need for a new ground operation in Greater Idlib. Such an operation will not be however possible without the approval of Turkey, who maintains a large force in the region.
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