Turks, Syrian jihadists in border war

– Turkish forces exchanged fire yesterday with jihadists from al-Qaeda’s former Syrian affiliate on the border of Idlib province, a monitor and eyewitnesses said, a day after Ankara announced an imminent operation there.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday announced pro-Ankara rebels would lead a military campaign against the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) jihadist coalition in the northwestern Syrian province.

Beirut

Yesterday morning, HTS jihadists opened fire on Turkish forces removing part of a wall along the border between Turkey and Idlib, eyewitnesses and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor said.

“A group of HTS opened fire on the vehicle removing part of the wall, and the Turks returned fire and also shelled the area,” one eyewitness on the border told

Turkish shelling hit near a camp for displaced civilians by the border, prompting some to flee the area, it said, and HTS fighters also shelled a Turkish position near the Bab al-Hawa border crossing.

Turkey’s NTV, a private television station, reported an exchange of fire at the border area, quoting “military sources”. Rebel backer Turkey, along with Syrian regime allies Russia and Iran, earlier this year agreed a deal to implement four such ceasefire zones in the war-torn country as a prelude to talks on a peace deal. –

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