(FNA) -- The sources said that the surprise attack of Tahrir al-Sham Hay'at hit the base of the FSA Division 13 in the town of Ma'arat al-Nu'aman, killing a number of FSA members.
Tahrir al-Sham's attack came unexpected and caught the Division 13 off guard. After overrunning the latter’s base, Tahrir al-Sham started executing their new captives.
Deputy Commander of the forces, called Idlib Free Police, Colonel Taiser al-Samahi from FSA Division 13 was killed before FSA reinforcements could arrive on the scene.
Another militant that was commander of Ma'arat al-Nu'aman Free Police was also killed in the clashes.
Throughout the clashes, civilian residents went out into the streets in protest against Tahrir al-Sham, demanding them to cease the fighting and leave the town.
The terrorist group unconvinced of the proposal opened fire at the protestors, killing at least 10 residents of Ma'arat al-Nu'aman as of now.
The FSA that was not only caught off guard, but also overpowered by the sheer size of the terrorists contingent swarming the town, called on Ahrar al-Sham and Faylaq al-Sham for help.
Both groups answered the call by sending a convoy of fighters to support FSA units trying to hold the town and fight off Tahrir al-Sham.
The new development comes after an assassination attempt on Sharia cleric of Tahrir al-Sham Hay'at Abdullah al-Muhaysini in Idlib countryside on Wednesday night to Thursday this week, leaving the cleric wounded by gunfire. The attack was conducted by militants of Faylaq al-Sham as the cleric passed their checkpoint.
Local sources in Northwestern Syria reported on Tuesday that rival militant groups engaged in another round of clashes in Eastern Idlib, with tribal leaders warning Tahrir al-Sham terrorists to back down or wait for all-out war.
The sources said that Tahrir al-Sham Hay'at stormed the positions of the rival terrorists of Liwa al-Soud al-Islam affiliated to Ahrar al-Sham in the village of Tal al-Toufan, leaving one of the members of Ahrar al-Sham dead.
In the meantime, Liwa al-Soud al-Islam seized vehicles of Tahrir al-Sham.
The sources went on to say that al-Mawali tribal people that lived in Idlib and Hama provinces gave a 48-hour ultimatum to Tahrir al-Sham to free the captured people.
Al-Mawali tribal people threatened Tahrir al-Sham with a joint military operation by all tribes of Idlib and Hama against Tahrir al-Sham fighters if they refuse to release the captives.