A Russian Su-24 strike aircraft in the sky over the Khmeimim airbase in Syria. Photo: Dmitriy Vinogradov / RIA Novosti
The Russian Aerospace Forces carried out on July 10 a wave of strikes against positions of al-Qaeda-affiliated Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and its allies in the northwestern Syrian region of Greater Idlib.
At least 21 strikes hit targets in the Hursh al-Basil area in the western outskirts of Idlib city and in the western countryside of the governorate, including ones located near the towns of Sheikh Sndian and al-Ghassaniyah as well as others in the Hursh al-Hamamh area and the Sugar Factory in the outskirts of the city of Jisr al-Shughur.
The targets included command and control centers as well as drone launch sites belonging to HTS and its allies. No civilian casualties were reported.
This was the first wave of Russian strikes to hit Greater Idlib in more than 50 days. The strikes were likely carried out in response to recent violations of the ceasefire in the region, which was brokered by Russia and Turkey more than four years ago.
The strikes came amid renewed efforts to restore relations between Turkey, who maintains a large force in Greater Idlib and other regions in northern and eastern Syria, and the Damascus government. These efforts are led by Russia.
Damascus has for long maintained that Ankara should withdraw its forces from Greater Idlib and other Syrian regions in order restore relations.
Without a Turkish withdrawal from Greater Idlib, a Syrian ground operation against HTS and its allies remains highly unlikely as it could lead to a confrontation with Ankara.
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