Turkish military intervention in Idlib possible following intensified tension between Qatar, Saudi Arabia

Turkish military intervention in Idlib possible following intensified tension between Qatar, Saudi Arabia
Sun Jun 11, 2017 19:04:44

Field sources in Northwestern Syria reported that the Turkish Army will likely attack Idlib under the pretext of ending insecurity in the region after intensified infighting between rival terrorists and assassination of their commanders that have roots in the recent tensions between Doha and Riyadh.

(FNA) -- The Arabic-language al-Watan daily published in Syria quoted sources close to the Free Syrian Army (FSA) as saying that the FSA has announced unofficially that if the interests of the FSA and other groups, including Ahrar al-Sham, are threatened in Idlib the Turkish army troops will invade the city.

The paper added that the Turkish army, in a preemptive move, has dispatched hundreds of its affiliated militants from Jarabulus and al-Ra'ei in Northern Aleppo to the borders of the villages and towns of Harem, Darkoush and Salqin in order to use them in a possible military invasion.

The daily went on to say that attacks of Tahrir al-Sham Hay'at (the Levant Liberation Board) in Ma'arat al-Nu'aman caused Turkey to form another military coalition over its interests in Idlib in order not to let al-Qaeda-affiliated formations to overcome the groups that are backed by Turkey and Qatar.

Sources told al-Watan that Ankara intends to turn Idlib or at least its border regions with Turkey into safe zones similar to Jarabulus but the plan needs hefty amounts of money that can not be paid by Qatar after fresh developments among the Persian Gulf Arab state.

The paper added that the Doha-backed terrorists in Idlib live in the fear that they might be enlisted as terrorist organizations by Saudi Arabia and its allied states.

On Wednesday, Syria's military aircraft dropped thousands of leaflets over terrorist-held regions in Southwestern Idlib, urging the militants to lay down arms and surrender themselves before an imminent large-scale attack by the government troops.

News websites affiliated to terrorist groups reported that the army aircraft dropped thousands of leaflets over the town of Jisr al-Shughour, urging terrorists to hand over their weapons to the army men and surrender.

The army, in the dropped leaflets, underlined the pro-government forces' victories as an end to the crisis in the war-hit country, saying stability and security will be restored again to the country.

The army urged militants in Jisr al-Shughour no to miss the chance and return to normal life after handing over their arms to relevant authorities.

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