Syria:

Largest Terrorist Groups in Idlib, Aleppo Provinces Engage in Fierce Clashes again

Rasa - Websites affiliated to the terrorist groups disclosed that heavy infighting has resumed between the two main terrorist groups of Ahrar al-Sham and Tahrir al-Sham Hay'at (the Levant Liberation Board) in the province of Idlib and Aleppo once again.

News ID: 427861

Date: 04 March 2017 - 20:52

RNA - The websites reported that Tahrir al-Sham Hay'at stormed the positions of Ahrar al-Sham in the Salqin town in Northwestern Idlib and arrested a number of Ahrar terrorists, trying to capture their positions including a main base of them used for manufacturing weapons.

In the meantime, differences over dispatching forces and equipment to Western Aleppo pushed Ahrar al-Sham and Tahrir al-Sham Hay'at into heavy fighting near the ICARDA farms in Southern Aleppo.

A Syrian source said meantime that differences between the largest terrorist groups in Idlib have pushed the province towards massive infighting among militants once again.

The source added that some of the terrorist units in the Northern parts of Idlib and Aleppo provinces joined Ahrar al-Sham after infighting restarted between the two rival groups.

On Friday, clashes erupted between the terrorist groups of Ahrar Al-Sham and Tahrir Al-Sham Hay'at in Saraqib after one of Ahrar Al-Sham regiments announced that defection to Tahrir Al-Sham Hay'at.

The faction that defected played a crucial role in Ahrar al-Sham as they manufactured weapons.

Another group of Ahrar Al-Sham tried to prevent this regiment from taking any weapons or ammunition with them. This led to clashes between the two rival factions, as well as other Tahrir Al-Sham's fighters in the area.

Several injuries were inflicted on both sides and each side arrested some of the opposing group members.

On Thursday, people residing in the Southern parts of Idlib continued protest rallies against a-Nusra (Fatah al-Sham) Front terrorists, urging them to leave their lands.

The people of Tarmala village in Southern Idlib rallied against the al-Nusra and shouted slogans against the terrorist group.

They also underlined allegiance to the Syrian government, asking for al-Nusra's evacuation of its bases and departure from the region.

The rallies were held hours after the Syrian army troops and air force targeted the positions of al-Nusra Front in Northern Hama and Southern Idlib, killing and wounding a large number of terrorists and destroying their arms depot.

Late in January, Al-Nusra Front (recently renamed to Fatah al-Sham Front) and several militant groups declared forming a new coalition under the name of Tahrir Al-Sham Hay'at to narrow down widening rifts amongst their commanders and members.

The Al-Nusra Front, Nouralddeen al-Zinki Movement, Jeish al-Sonah, Jabhat Ansaraldeen and Liwa al-Haq announced that they would act under a united coalition named the Tahrir al-Sham Hay'at.

The five merged terrorist groups act under the command of Abu Jaber Hashem al-Sheikh, who was one of the commanders of Ahrar al-Sham. The new coalition led by al-Sheikh is now fighting against Ahrar al-Sham, a rival terrorist group operating mainly in Northwestern Syria.

Al-Sheikh resigned from his post in Ahrar al-Sham after he was appointed as the commander of Tahrir al-Sham Hay'at.

A number of Ahrar al-Sham's commanders, including the groups' spokesman Abu Yusuf al-Mohajer, Hesam Salameh and Abu al-Fatah al-Farqali Mesri also joined the new coalition.

Terrorist groups' websites claimed that Al-Nusra Commander Abu Mohammad al-Joulani will be the top commander of Tahrir al-Sham Hay'at.

Ahrar al-Sham rejected its affiliation to the new coalition, but websites close to the terrorist groups have disclosed that Ahrar al-Sham, Faylaq al-Sham, Jeish al-Izzah, Turkistani party and Liwa al-Tamkin will soon start a new front called Tahrir al-Syria Front.

Nusra terrorists have been attacking positions of other terrorist rivals across Northwestern Syria.

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