On September 21, the Turkish Army deployed more units at the Bab al-Haw border crossing on the border with Syria’s Idlib governorate, according to Syrian opposition sources. The units were deployed in the Turkish side of the border crossing.
The units included armored military bulldozers and other military engineering vehicles. The newly deployed Turkish Army units were stationed at positions that overlook Syria’s Atmah village in the northern Idlib countryside.
The Bab al-Haw crossing is still open for civilian traffic, according to Syrian opposition sources. Syrian opposition activists believe that new deployment is a part of the Turkish Army preparation to launch a military operation against Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) in Idlib governorate.
Meanwhile, Syrian opposition activists published a video of a FSA commander at an event in Turkey’s Operation Euphrates Shield area in the northern Aleppo countryside. The commander claimed that they will liberate Idlib governorate from “al-Qaeda”, refereeing to HTS.
Euphrates shield fighters:
“We promise to cleanse Idlib from the filthy Al-Qaida, we’ll enter the battle of Idlib as heroes.” pic.twitter.com/8ZhympE1hC
— TheMoroccanBaathist (@MorocanArab) 21 September 2017
However, Turkish officials insisted that the military build-up on the border with the Syrian Idlib governorate is just aimed at securing the border security only.
On September 17, the Turkish Army deployed 80 armored vehicles, and 18 MRAPs on the border with Syria’s Idlib governorate, in the Turkish province of Hatay.
Photos of the newly deployed vehicles:
80 armored vehicles, and 18 MRAPs? You can barely invade a wet paper towel with that. I don’t think Al Qaida will lose much sleep tonight.
Can the turks be ever trusted? Past actions show negativity. A sudden change in their attitude is questionable. Have to wait and see.
i think they are trying to protect their favourite terrorists, fsa from the bad terrorists HTS. difficult task. HTS is very well equiped ,financed organized….by whom i wonder