National Defense Forces Repel Another Militant Attack On Besieged Villages In Idlib Province

FILE IMAGE: sana.sy

The National Defense Forces (NDF) have relepped another militant attack on the besieged villages of al-Fouaa and Kefraya in the northern part of the Syrian province of Idlib, the state-run news agency SANA reported on June 13.

According to the report, the attack was carried out by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (formerly Jabhat al-Nusra, the Syrian branch of al-Qaeda) and its allies from the directions of al-Sawaghyia and Brouma on June 13 morning.

The NDF reportedly detonated 3 explosive devices targeting militants advancing from the direction of Brouma. Most of them were reportedly killed or injured and their arms were destroyed.

Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and its more “moderate” allies are currently besieged in a part of the provinces of Idlib and Aleppo. They have no resources to carry out major offensives on government forces, but they have expanded attacks on the villages of al-Fouaa and Kefraya, encircled in the province of Idlib, and have increased a number of hit and run attacks of army positions at the contact line.

The province of Idlib is formally a part of the de-escalation zone agreement reached by Russia, Iran and Turkey. However, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham is excluded from the ceasefire regime. This creates significant problems [the terrorist group is actively cooperates with “moderate” groups] and sets a foothold for further escalation in western Syria.