Syrian, Russian Strikes Hit Greater Idlib Following Series Of Drone Attacks

The Syrian Arab Army (SAA) and the Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS) carried out a series of strikes on the southern and northwestern parts of Greater Idlib in response to recent ceasefire violations by militants occupying the region, the Syrian Ministry of Defense announced on December 26.

The ministry released video footage showing artillery and FPV drone strikes by the SAA and pinpoint airstrikes which were carried out by the VKS.

Headquarters, ammunition depots, workshops, frontline positions, fortification, vehicles and weapons were destroyed in the strikes.

A “large number” of militants from al-Qaeda-affiliated Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the de-facto ruler of Greater Idlib, and two of its allies, the Turkistan Islamic Party and Ansar al-Tawhid, were killed in the strikes, according to the Syrian MoD, which listed the names of 17 slain militants.

The VKS carried out more airstrikes against key positions of HTS and its allies on December 27. Video footage of the airstrikes surfaced online.

HTS and its allies stepped up attacks in recent months in a blatant violation of the ceasefire in Greater Idlib which was brokered by Turkey and Russia more than three years ago.

On December 24, the Syrian MoD announced that seven armed and suicide drones launched from Greater Idlib were shot down over Aleppo and Hama. Eight more drones were later intercepted over Hama and Idlib, the ministry said on December 26.

The escalation in Greater Idlib began following a drone attack that targeted the annual graduation ceremony at the Syrian Military Academy near the central city of Homs on October 5. The attack claimed the lives of 89 civilians and service members and left more than 277 other wounded.

No group has yet claimed responsibility for the drone attack. However, evidence indicates that HTS or one of its allies was responsible.

Source @South Front