Al-Qaida-linked militants launched an assault on a military position in northwest Syria on Friday, resulting in the deaths of at least nine government soldiers and multiple injuries, according to reports from opposition activists. The government has yet to issue a statement in response to the attack.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a British-based opposition war monitor, confirmed that nine soldiers were killed, along with one of the attackers who belonged to Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), an al-Qaida-affiliated group that is the most powerful insurgent faction in northwest Syria. The observatory also reported that 12 soldiers and one HTS member were wounded in the incident.
Opposition activist Taher al-Omar, who closely monitors HTS, claimed that the attack in Latakia, a northwestern province, resulted in the deaths of 18 soldiers and several others.
This attack came less than a week after insurgents in northwest Syria targeted a military position, resulting in the deaths and injuries of over 30 troops.
The truce between Russia and Turkey, which was reached in March 2020 and ended a Russian-supported government offensive in Idlib province, has been repeatedly violated, leading to numerous casualties.
In another part of northern Syria, opposition gunmen backed by Turkey briefly captured the village of Mahsanli, which is currently under Kurdish control. However, the Kurdish forces successfully regained control of the village in a counteroffensive several hours later. The Syrian Observatory reported that several Turkish-backed gunmen were killed during the incident, and opposition activists claimed that a Russian airstrike targeted the village after it fell into the hands of the opposition fighters.
Moving to eastern Syria, clashes intensified between the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and local tribesmen. The escalation occurred after a local commander was detained and subsequently dismissed by the SDF due to allegations of corruption.
Farhad Shami, a spokesman for the SDF, informed the Associated Press that, two days after the start of the operation by U.S.-backed forces, fighters loyal to the government crossed to the east bank of the Euphrates River and instigated disturbances. He clarified that the SDF is now pursuing “regime elements” in three villages to the east of the river, refuting claims that the clashes are with local tribesmen.
Shami also revealed that sleeper cells of the Islamic State group are involved in fighting against the SDF. Efforts are underway to negotiate a ceasefire with local tribal leaders to bring an end to the conflict, which has already claimed the lives of 45 individuals and left many more wounded.
Elham Ahmad, leader of the Syrian Democratic Council, the political wing of the SDF, expressed on X (formerly known as Twitter) that the recent clashes in eastern Syria are not isolated incidents. She attributed the tensions to Iranian-backed militias and the Syrian government, who seek to sow unrest and instability throughout the region.
Ahmad further explained that Iran and the Assad regime aim to depict this unrest as an ethnic conflict between Arabs and Kurds in order to divert attention from the ongoing protest movements in southern Syria. Iranian-backed fighters have a presence in eastern Syria.
Additionally, Ahmad emphasized that Iran and the Syrian government are attempting to drive the nearly 900 U.S. troops stationed in eastern Syria out of the country.
The Syrian conflict, which began with anti-government protests and escalated into a civil war, has resulted in the deaths of half a million individuals and displaced half of the country’s pre-war population of 23 million. Over 5 million Syrians have become refugees, with the majority seeking shelter in neighboring countries.
Russia has played a significant role in supporting Syrian President Bashar Assad and entered the war in September 2015, ultimately tipping the balance of power in his favor. Turkey has been a major supporter of the armed opposition.
(Source: [Fox News](https://www.foxnews.com/world/syria-insurgents-attack-army-position-northwest).)
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