Syrian Army Repels Attack By HTS Militants In Northern Lattakia
Late on August 11, the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) repelled an attack that was launched by al-Qaeda-affiliated Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) from the northwestern Syrian region of Greater Idlib.
Citing a field source, Sputnik said that militants from HTS attempted to infiltrate the town of Ain al-Beida in the northern Lattakia countryside. However, the SAA targeted the militants with artillery and managed to push them back.
The Russian news agency didn’t report any casualties. However, the London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a pro-opposition monitoring group, reported that six soldiers of the SAA were killed in the attack.
This was the second such attack this month. On August 6, two officers and two soldiers were killed when militants infiltrated a key position of the SAA on Mount Nabi Yunis in the northern Lattakia countryside. Initially it was reported that the infiltration was carried out by Turkistan terrorists. However, HTS later claimed responsibility for the attack.
Following the attack, the Russian Reconciliation Center in Syria warned that militants in Greater Idlib were attempting to infiltrate government-held areas in the governorates of Aleppo and Lattakia.
The Turkish military maintains a fairly large presence in Greater Idlib. However, HTS remains the de-facto ruler of the region.
The recent attacks represent a blatant violation of the ceasefire in Greater Idlib, which was brokered by Russia and Turkey more than three years ago. The SAA and its allies will likely respond with full forces to these violations.
MORE ON THIS TOPIC:
The post Syrian Army Repels Attack By HTS Militants In Northern Lattakia appeared first on South Front.
