A new round of struggle between factions of the moderate opposition in the province of Idlib
in controlled by opposition fighters province of Idlib again heating up between the group "Ahrar al-Sham" and allied her forces on the one hand and the coalition "Heyyat Tahrir al -Sham "(HTaSh) on the other. In recent weeks, in Idlib province noticed the movement of militants reinforced columns of different groups and many attribute this to the fact that the moderate militants and not the opposition are preparing for a new operation in the north of the province of Hama. As it turned out, it was only a preparation for a possible escalation of the conflict in the areas controlled by the rebels in Syria.
It all started with the fact that the Turkish media claimed that they are going to pacify the territory of Idlib, in response to the command of the coalition HTaSh and the Union, or rather it controls groups have unanimously declared that destroy every Turkish soldier who goes to territory under their control. After that, the militants began HTaSh strengthening of existing equipment and the new positions on the border with Turkey. The command group "Ahrar al-Sham" has not commented on Turkey's initiative, as a related group, however, stated that, under such pretexts HTaSh militants preparing to attack on them.
A few days after this Adventure "Ahrar al-Sham" decided to hang banners of their factions and flags "Syrian Free Army" (FSA) on under their control buildings in the city of Idlib, in response to the "Al Qaeda" is the Adventure HTaSh began to hang banners, "Dzhabhat en-Nusra" and its. In addition, the militants entered HTaSh in Idlib considerable forces and thus magnify his group in and around the city. Militant groups Islamic Party of Turkestan at the same time introduced a major force in the town of Jisr al-Shughur in western Idlib province, forcing the militants HTaSh get out of it, and then fully captured the city. Almost a day later, between HTaSh and "Ahrar al-Sham" serious clashes erupted near a large city - Sarakiba. About casualties were reported, and there seems to clashes ended quickly, as the command groups managed to resolve all issues. Today, the militants of the coalition HTaSh some reason attacked a checkpoint group "Ahrar al-Sham", killing two militants and an officer "Ahrar al-Sham", then HTaSh Command issued a statement that warns "Ahrar al-Sham" from further provocations and reports that the response to these will be followed in a multiple larger than themselves provocation. This morning has started serious clashes between the group "Ahrar al-Sham" and her allied forces on one side and the other coalition HTaSh. The first thing the militants HTaSh took full control of the major city of Dan, in the south of Idlib province and attacked the military bases of the militants, "Ahrar al-Sham" in Sarmad and Kafr Takhar, using shahidmobilya, then seized the oil mill and the "south bridge" south Sarakib from the city. Militants "Ahrar al-Sham" militants attacked HTaSh near the town of Al-Atarib, knocking out fighters and took him under his control. Then, for some unknown reason, HTaSh command transferred control of several towns under their control Idlib province as they report in order to avoid collision with them. Municipal government of the city of Maarat al-Numan, meanwhile, is preparing to start fights, and in this city, and local residents in Sarakibe, Hazarine and Kafr Nabel took to the streets today to protest against HTaSh and aggressive actions.
HTaSh leader - Abu Jaber said that the reason for a new round of civil strife is that other groups of moderate opposition abandoned the merger and sold themselves and the interests of the revolution for the sake of their own profit. It is believed that the command HTaSh dislodge insurgents Ahrar al-Sham to the border with Turkey, which supports them, as Ahrar al-Sham and other groups of the moderate opposition, meanwhile, is going to completely dislodge militants HTaSh of Idlib.
We should also add that last night, the head of the National Peace Council and reconciliation in Syria, Sheikh Saleh Naimi said in an interview with RIA Novosti that according to him, more than ten thousand militants of the moderate opposition in the provinces of Hama, Homs and Idlib ready negotiations for a joint struggle against the groups "Heyyat Tahrir al-Sham", which is formed on the basis of "Dzhebhat en-Nusra". According Naimi, they are ready to fight the terrorists in the case of "direct support from Russia." He also said the fact that about two weeks ago in Ankara has arrived group of so-called moderate commanders of the armed opposition who are ready to meet with the Russian ambassador in Turkey and military attache, as soon as they receive permission from the Russian side.
Earlier, on November 2016 for the whole territory of Syria, controlled by the moderate opposition fighters swept a series of civil wars between different groups with a lot of losses for the guerrillas. The result was the emergence of a terrorist organization HTaSh, which was formed by the merger of a large number of small, medium and large groups, as well as the consolidation of the group "Ahrar al-Sham", which became a competitor HTaSh. According to local sources, the number of fighters in each of the groups has increased to about 50,000 or more people.