Al-Qaida chief back in Idlib after hospital stay in Turkey

DISCLOSURE: Sourced from Russian government funded media

RBIS(nju:s) 

In the meantime more than half a year has passed and nothing has happened in the matter of Idlib. Despite the Russian-Turkish assurances that they would first create a demilitarised zone around the government in northern Syria and then take on the Al-Qaida offshoots nestled there, the two parties on different sides are unable to get a grip on the situation.

The Hayat Tahrir al Sham (Al-Qaida, Al-Nusra, HTS) is stronger than ever and has officially ascended the Jihadist throne in Syria. Only recently, a high-level meeting [1] of commanders of all united terrorist factions took place in Idlib, where the head of the HTS, Mohammed Julani, first appeared since he was wounded in an attack on his convoy two months ago.

According to the online portal Southfront, referring to the Russian news agency Sputnik, Julani has appointed Islamist commanders from eight allied terrorist collectives, including the Islamic Turkestan Party (TIP), Horas al-Din and Jaysh al-Izza.

According to Sputnik, the Jihadist summit took place in the Syrian border town of Atmaeh not far from Turkey and was held under strict “unprecedented” security measures.

A 5 km wide security zone is said to have been established around Atmeah. In addition, numerous HTS fighters, snipers and even a jamming transmitter had been stationed in the city. Local sources told the news agency that Al-Julani, who was allegedly accompanied by three Turkish-speaking militants, had informed other terrorist commanders that there was a possibility that the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) might launch a military operation in Idlib in the foreseeable future.

He is also said to have ordered the commanders to put their militants on highest alert and to have their suicide vehicles (VBIEDs) ready for action.

According to sources, Julani had threatened the commanders present and warned them not to make agreements that would amount to surrendering territories. Furthermore, he has made it clear that the faction that dares to make agreements behind its back is a legitimate target for HTS fighters and is seen as an enemy and a traitor.

The HTS leader is also said to have said that the Turkish measures are unlikely to stop the SAA from attacking. Moreover, he had suggested that the very experienced fighters evacuated last year from Homs and Damascus should join the ranks of Jaiysh al-Izza.

According to Southfront, the recent meeting in the city of Atmaeh is an example of Al-Julani leading the opposition-held part of Idlib with threats and intimidation.

Mohammed al-Julani’s suspicions regarding an upcoming SAA offensive on Idlib may soon come true if his HTS and its entourage maintain their stalled course and are unwilling to stop skirmishes and artillery attacks against civilians and Syrian army positions.

Recently, Al-Qaida Branch initiated attacks against SAA positions in North Lattakia [2] and West Aleppo [3], killing 20 Syrian soldiers and officers.

Such incidents continuously confirm that ceasefires and security zones are built on sand. On several occasions, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham has made it clear that she will never stop fighting the Syrian government and its allies.

Furthermore, at the beginning of the year, it was able to immensely expand its sphere of power within Idlib and take control of virtually the entire “TurkishRussian” security zone.

Ankara continues its grotesque “fight against terrorism”, and Moscow’s patience seems endless. It is interesting to note that Mohammed al-Julani is advertising the Turkish-backed Jaish al-Izza (FSA) and is accompanied by Turkish-speaking militants (MIT agents?) after his hospital stay in Turkey.

Mind you, this is the head of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the group that was classified as a terrorist organisation by Turkey last year.

Ankara’s observation posts in the region act as a NATO defensive wall that has the potential to trigger an alliance case. The posts decided by the Astana format were originally set up to kill the terrorists.

Ankara, on the other hand, has constantly stalled its Russian partner and conjured up ever new reasons for time delays, so that it gradually became apparent that Turkey was only pretending to be committed to the fight against terrorism and that it had in mind a neo-Ottoman annexation of northern Syrian parts of the country. In short, Turkey is the patron saint of the HTS and therefore the greatest obstacle to peace in Syria.

Links:

• https://southfront.org/al-julani-style-leadership-threats-appear-to-bemain-motivation-of-rebels-to-combat-syrian-army/
• https://southfront.org/syrian-army-lost-five-service-members-in-ambushin-northern-lattakia/
• https://southfront.org/hayat-tahrir-al-sham-terrorists-kill-more-than-15syrian-soldiers-in-western-aleppo/