...al-Qaeda's Syrian affiliate, from which sprang the Islamic State...(HTS, formerly al-Nusra
...formally Jabhat an-Nusrah li-Ahli al-Sham (Support Front for the People of the Levant), also known as al-Qaeda in the Levant. They aim to establish a pan-Arab caliphate. Not the same one as the Islamic State, though .. ...
Front) increased rocket and artillery shelling on positions of the Syrian government forces in the countryside of Idlib, Aleppo, and Latakia in northwest Syria. The government forces continued its shelling on Aleppo’s western and Idlib’s southern countryside.
Military sources in the al-Fateh al-Mubin Operations Room, a coalition of several
The sources added that the HTS targeted other positions of the government forces in the al-Tanmiya tower, the village of the al-Hayat, and al-Kabina in the north of Latakia. They targeted other positions in Kafr Nabl, Khan Assubul, and Kafr Battikh in the southeast of Idlib.
The escalation came after government forces attempted twice to advance on Saturday morning in Base 46 and Kafr Amma in the west of Aleppo, which was deterred by the HTS, resulting in over 12 deaths of the government forces, according to sources.
The government forces, following the failed attempt
...
Curses! Foiled again!...
s, targeted the villages and towns of Kafr Taal, Kafr Amma, Teqad, al-Wasata, al-Qaser, Ajel, and the outskirts of the city of Atarb with dozens of artillery shells and rockets. They also targeted the villages and towns of al-Zawiya Mountain in southern Idlib.
Over two weeks, the de-escalation zone in northwest Syria witnessed mutual shelling and attempts to advance on a semi-daily basis between the two parties leaving behind dozens of casualties from both sides.