Late on April 8, a security commander of the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army (SNA) was assassinated in the northern Aleppo countryside.
An improvised explosive device (IED) ripped through the commander, Mahmoud al-Azi, SUV severally injuring him. The incident took place near Fatimah al-Zahra mosque in al-Bab’s city center. The commander died of his wounds within a few hours.
Al-Azi, known by his nom de guerre “Abu Faisal,” was a commander in the Sultan Murad Brigade, a key member of the SNA. The commander was reportedly responsible for the Abu al-Zayndin crossing, which links Turkish-occupied and government-held areas.
Mahmoud al-Azi, aka Abu Faisal
No group has claimed responsibility for the assassination of Abu Faisal, thus far. Both ISIS and Kurdish are known for carrying out such operations in Turkish-occupied areas, especially in northern Aleppo.
The Turkish-occupied part of northern Aleppo is witnessing a state of lawlessness. Last month, al-Bab city saw heavy clashes among Turkish-backed militants following the murder of an SNA commander. Ankara is yet to take any step to address this situation.
