Russia Threatens Militants In Syria’s Greater Idlib Over Plot To Launch Drone, Rocket Attacks

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The Turkistan Islamic Party (TIP) and Ansar al-Tawhid are plotting attacks against Syrian and Russian troops, Rear Admiral Vadim Kulit, deputy head of the Russian Center for Reconciliation of the Opposing Parties in Syria, said on October 3, threatening the terrorist groups with a joint Russian-Syrian response.

Both the TIP and Ansar al-Tawhid are based in the northwestern Syrian region of Greater Idlib and allied to al-Qaeda-affiliated Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS).

“According to information obtained by the Russian Center for Reconciliation of the Opposing Parties in Syria, terrorist groups known as the Turkistan Islamic Party and Ansar al-Tawhid, are active in the Idlib de-escalation zone on the territories of the Idlib, Aleppo and Latakia governorates, are staging attacks on positions of Russian and Syrian troops,” Kulit said.

According to the Russian defense officials, the attacks are expected to involve “improvised UAVs and modified long-range multiple-launch rocket systems.”

“Commanders of Russian forces and the armed forces of the Syrian Arab Republic will take the necessary preventive measures to avert armed provocations,” Kulit warned.

Last month, HTS and its allies lost dozens of militants and sustained heavy material losses as result of Syrian and Russian strikes. However, they continue to violate the ceasefire in Greater Idlib, which was brokered by Turkey and Russia more than three years ago.

A wave of Syrian artillery and missile strikes hit Greater Idlib in recent days. HTS and its allies could face much harsher military measures if they go on with their plot and launch attacks with drones and rockets from the region.

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