SYRIA: Continued violations of the cease-fire in Idlib and Aleppo

Idlib – The involved parties in Syria have not been able to control their warring elements, whether elements of the Syrian regime, the Turkish occupation army or the Turkish-backed Islamist militants, clashes and mutual shelling between them have continued. In the midst of its continued violation of the truce, Syrian regime missiles on Monday targeted Idlib and Aleppo countryside, provoking response from Turkish jihadist factions who shelled regime positions.

Syrian regime forces also targeted a Turkish monitoring post in the vicinity of camp al-Mastumma in the southern countryside of Idlib with artillery, in addition to the areas of al-Mouqbela, Qaminas, Nairab and Sarmin in the south and east of Idlib province. Other shelled targets were positions of the opposition factions in the area of Azza in the western Aleppo countryside. Turkish artillery responded by shelling positions of the Syrian regime. Sources could not give any information on the number of injured or casualties. Turkey also bombed the villages of Herbel, Samouqqa, Arshadiah and Kfar Anton in the YPG deployment areas north of Aleppo. Again without any information of casualties so far.

In a related context, the US State Department reported that U.S. special representative on Syria James Jeffrey, will visit NATO headquarters in Brussels next Tuesday for talks with allies on the crisis in Idlib and its implications for NATO and discussing support for Turkey in Syria. According to the statement, Jeffrey will also meet with high-ranking EU officials to discuss and request assistance on the poignant humanitarian situation in Syria and to implement Security Council resolutions related to the Syrian crisis.