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During the last 24 hours, radical militants violated the Russian-Turkish demilitarized zone agreement several times in Hama and Aleppo, according to the Russian Centre for the Reconciliation of Opposing Sides in Syria.
The center said that the militants launched attacks from their positions within the zone on the towns of Masasna, Zalaqiyat, Tell al-Maktaa in northern Hama and on several districts west and southwest of the city of Aleppo.
“The Russian Centre for Reconciliation of Opposing Sides urges leaders of illegal armed formations operating in the Idlib de-escalation zone to cease hostilities and move towards peaceful settlement of the situation in areas they occupy,” the center said in its report, which was released on January 25.
In response to these violations, the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) artillery shelled the militants’ positions in the towns of al-Huwayz, al-Jysat Jisr Beit Ras and Tell Saker in northern Hama and in the town of Mseibin in western Aleppo.
The militants’ aggressive behavior will likely force the SAA and its allies to launch a limited military operation around the governorate of Idlib soon. Such an operation may help reinforce the demilitarized zone agreement.
