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On October 12, fighters of the Turkish-backed National Front for Liberation (NFL) destroyed a bulldozer of the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) north of the city of Aleppo with an anti-tank guided missile (ATGM), according to the Syrian pro-opposition news agency Midad.
The attack is a clear violation of the Russian-Turkish deconfliction agreement as the militants’ positions near Aleppo are considered a part of the demilitarized zone around the governorate of Idlib. While the militants are allowed to deploy ATGMs within the zone, any military operation there are strictly forbidden.
This was not the first time the NFL violates the deconfliction agreement. A day earlier, the Turkish-backed group shelled civilian districts inside the city of Aleppo with mortars. The Turkish military announced earlier that all heavy weapons, including mortar canons, have been withdrawn from the demilitarized zone.
A source in the Tiger Forces told SouthFront that the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) and its allies are currently preparing to act against these dangerous violations before the end of October. However, the source declined to provide further information.
Earlier this year, several pro-government sources reported that the SAA was preparing to launch a military operation to secure a limited area north and west of Aleppo city. The aforementioned violations may force the army to launch such an operation soon.
