A new jihadi group calling itself “Saryat Ansar Abu Bakr al-Siddiq” has claimed responsibly for the August 28 attack on a Turkish military post in the northwestern Syrian region of Greater Idlib.
In a statement released on September 2, the group said one of its suicide bombers, called “Abu Suleiman Al-Ansari,” had targeted the Turkish post near the town of Salat al-Zuhur, in southwestern Idlib, with a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED).
The jihadi group denied that Turkish troops had destroyed the VBIED before it could reach the post, claiming that dozens of Turkish service members were killed or injured in the attack.
According to Syrian opposition sources, the VBIED’s blast killed a single Turkish-backed militant and injured a number of Turkish soldiers.
Official logo of Saryat Ansar Abu Bakr al-Siddiq
Saryat Ansar Abu Bakr al-Siddiq also claimed that Turkish troops panicked and clashed with each other around Salat al-Zuhur’s after the attack. The jihadi group dismissed all the claims of civilian casualties in the attack.
“We affirm our complete independence and our non-subordination to any organization, group or faction, whether inside or outside the Levant,” the group said.
The group added that a video of the attack would be released soon. It also warned civilians from approaching any Turkish post in Greater Idlib.
The Turkish military established dozens of posts and deployed thousands of troops in Greater Idlib over the last year. Turkish forces are actively coordinating with terrorist groups, such as Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham.
Salat al-Zuhur attack will not likely be the last against Turkish troops in Greater Idlib. Saryat Ansar Abu Bakr al-Siddiq vowed to continue its fight against the “infidels” in the region.