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On October 14, the General Security Service of al-Qaeda-affiliated Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) announced that it had arrested a bomb maker of a mysterious group responsible for attacks on Turkish troops in the northwestern Syrian region of Greater Idlib.
HTS’ General Security Service claimed that the bomb maker, identified as Ahmad Saad al-Din al-Jasim, was working for Sarayat Ansar Abu Baker As-Siddiq.
Ahmad Saad al-Din al-Jasim, Click to see full-size image.
The group, which emerged in November of 2020, was behind many successful attacks on Turkish troops in Greater Idlib.
Sarayat Ansar Abu Baker As-Siddiq most recent attack, which took place on October 5, targeted a vehicle carrying officers of the Turkish military on the Nahliya-Ariha road to the south of the city of Idlib. The attack didn’t result in any fatalities.
The General Security Service shared photos showing explosive materials, a number of mines and military equipment which were allegedly hidden by al-Jasim.
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In an official statement released on October 15, Sarayat Ansar Abu Baker As-Siddiq denied that al-Jasim was one of its members.
“These allegations are a complete lie. The aforementioned brother is not one of the regiment’s commanders, nor one of its soldiers,” the statement reads.
The arrest of al-Jasim came amid a major Turkish military buildup in Greater Idlib, where HTS remains the de-facto ruler.
HTS, who is still present thanks to Turkey’s military presence in Greater Idlib, is apparently trying to appease Ankara by falsely claiming to fight those targeting Turkish troops.
