Syria/Iraq Update 8/19/2019... Syrian Warplanes Targeted the Turkish Convoy on the Aleppo - Damascus Highway (Videos)

Syrian warplanes targeted the Turkish convoy on the Aleppo – Damascus highway near Ma’rat Al-Nu’man in southern Idlib

The Air Force carries out direct machine gun raids on Turkish convoy

A large Turkish military convoy (at least 28 pieces of military equipment including battle tanks) entered the territory of Syria from Turkey. The convoy entered the town of Saraqeb in eastern Idlib and moved towards the town of Khan Shaykhun in southern Idlib. Khan Shaykhun is the key stronghold of radical militants (Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and its allies) in the area. After the recent gains by the Syrian Army, militants’ defense in the town appeared to be on the verge of collapse.

The Turkish miltiary is reportedly aiming to set up an ”observation post’ in Khan Shaykhun thus preventing the Syrian military from liberating the town from terrorists.

“Turkish vehicles loaded with ammunition, weapons and material equipment passed through the Syrian-Turkish borders on Monday morning and they entered Saraqeb City in their way to Khan Sheikhoun to help the defeated terrorists of Jabhat al-Nusra [Hayat Tahrir al-Sham] which is on the lists of the Security Council as a terrorist organization, which affirms again the continued unlimited support provided by the Turkish regime to the terrorist groups.” Syria’s state-run news agency SANA quoted a source in the Syrian Foreign Ministry.

“The Syrian Arab Republic strongly condemns this flagrant Turkish violation and it holds the Turkish Regime fully responsible for the consequences of this stark violation of the sovereignty and the territorial integrity of the Syrian Arab Republic which constitutes an outrageous breach of the international law’s provisions.”

The foreign ministry added that actions of “the Turkish regime will not in any way affect the determination of the Syrian Arab Army to continue to hunt down the remnants of terrorists in Khan Sheikhoun and other areas til liberating every inch of the Syrian territories from terrorism. ”

Syria did not limit its response to releasing an official statement on the issue. Just recently, the Syrian Arab Air Force carried out warning strikes near the Turkish military convoy moving towards Khan Shaykhun. According to pro-militant sources, at least one militant field commander accompaining the convoy was killed.

Aleppo Damascus highway after being cut by the Syrian army north of Khan Sheikhoun

FarsnewsSyrian, Russian Fighter Jets Pound, Block Turkish Army’s Military Convoy to Khan Sheikhoun

A massive Turkish Army military convoy destined for Tahrir al-Sham al-Hay’at (the Levant Liberation Board or the Al-Nusra Front) terrorists in Khan Sheikhoun was stopped under air raids by Russian and Syrian warplanes on Monday.

Russia’s Documents Center quoted special sources as saying that as soon as the Turkish military convoy arrived near Ma’aret al-Numan from Saraqib region to support Tahrir al-Sham’s movement towards Khan Sheikhoun city faced warning airstrikes near Khan Sheikhoun and was forced to bring to halt its movement.

The sources, meantime, pointed to a complete disconnection of the International Aleppo-Damascus Highway under Russian and Syrian airstrikes, and said that three Faylaq al-Sham terrorists, backed by the Turkish Army, who were moving through this route were killed.

The Turkish military convoy comprised 28 military vehicles, tanks and trucks carrying different types of weapons, missiles and military equipment as well as several armored personnel carriers.

In a relevant development earlier on Monday, the Turkish Army dispatched huge military convoys to Southern Idlib to stop the Syrian Army advances in the region.

The Turkish Army’s military convoys arrived in the cities of Saraqib and Ma’aret al-Numan in Southern Idlib as the Syrian Army has made advances in Khan Sheikhoun in battle against Tahrir al-Sham terrorists.

Battlefield sources said the Turkish Army’s military convoy comprised of 28 military vehicles, including tanks and trucks carrying weapons and military equipment, and added that massive military convoys of the National Liberation Army affiliated to Ankara were also sent to the Southern battlefront of Idlib and Northern Hama from Afrin in Northern Aleppo to block the Syrian Army advances.

Accordingly, the Syrian Foreign Ministry in a statement lambasted Turkey’s blatant interference in Syria’s territorial integrity and support for terrorist groups.

In a relevant development also earlier on Monday, the Syrian Army continued its military operations in Southern Idlib and after inflicting heavy losses and casualties on the terrorist groups managed to enter Khan Sheikhoun after five years.

The Damascus Army troops kept on their clashes with the terrorists in Northwestern Khan Sheikhoun in Southern Idlib, and took control of al-Faqir military post and deployed only 900 meters from Aleppo-Damascus Highway around Khan Sheikhoun.

The Arabic-language al-Watan newspaper quoted battlefield sources as saying that the Syrian Army troops entered Khan Sheikhoun city from the North-West after making further advances.

It pointed to the destruction of several bomb-laden vehicles in the region, and said that tens of terrorists started fleeing the scene of the battle as the Syrian Army made its advances.

Meantime, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) pointed to the arrival of the Syrian Army in Khan Sheikhoun city after five years since the occupation of the city by terrorists, and said that at least 45 terrorists were killed in the Syrian Army’s military operation in Khan Sheikhoun.

The Syrian Army’s Advances comes as terrorist groups are accusing each other of losing the regions in Idlib.

In a relevant development on Sunday, the Syrian Army continued its military operations around Khan Sheikhoun, and cut off the most important and main route used by the terrorists from Ma’aret al-Numan to Khan Sheikhoun.

The Syrian Army troops, meantime, continued their clashes with Tahrir al-Sham to the Northwest of Kham Sheikhoun, took control of the town of Tal Kafar Eidoun just three kilometers to the West of the International Aleppo-Damascus Highway.

The Syrian Army troops, meantime, continued their advances from Tal al-Nar to the East of Tal Alas and captured Mohammad Qassem al-Najm Farms and Sifu to the East of Kafar Nab.

A military source, meantime, pointed to the Syrian Army troops’ efforts to lay full siege to Khan Sheikhoun, and said that by imposing control over the Aleppo-Damascus Highway, the Syrian Army has managed to cut off the main road linking Khan Sheikhoun to Ma’aret al-Numan that hosts the largest bastion of the terrorists in Idlib province.

The English-language al-Masdar reported that the Syrian Army is now just one kilometers away from Khan Sheikhoun.

Why Would Syria Bomb a Turkish Military Convoy?

Syrian forces attacked a Turkish convoy in northern Syria, after Turkey has threatened numerous times lately to execute an operation in Syrian territory. Why would Syria do this though?

Syria on Monday launched airstrikes against a Turkish armored convoy headed towards a key town in northwestern Syria where regime and allied Russian coalition forces are waging fierce battles with jihadists and rebels, a war monitor said.

The Turks entered Syria with the intention of helping Syrian rebels in their fight against Bashar al-Assad’s forces in the Idlib province, according to Syrian state news agency SANA, who also called the Turkish move “aggressive.”

Turkey’s defense ministry released a statement “strongly condemning” the incident and saying it violated agreements with Russia.

“Despite repeated warnings we made to the authorities of the Russian Federation, the military operations by the regime forces continue in Idlib region in violation of the existing memorandums and agreements with the Russian Federation,” the ministry said in a statement.

The Observatory reported that Syrian and Russian air strikes were aimed at hindering the convoy’s advance through the Idlib province.

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Army of Jaysh Al – Izza and Jabhat al – Nusra on the international highway Khan Sheikhun Ma’arat al – Nu’man…

The Syrian Army found tunnels and ammunition for terrorists in Hama and Idlib areas

TIGER FORCES YUSUF KANAAN GROUPS FROM THE BATTLEFRONTS IN HAMA AND IDLIB

Farsnews Syria in Last 24 Hours

The Damascus Army continued its military operations around Khan Sheikhoun in Southern Idlib, and cut off the most important and main route used by the terrorists from Ma’aret al-Numan to Khan Sheikhoun.

The Syrian Army troops, meantime, continued their clashes with Tahrir al-Sham al-Hay’at (the Levant Liberation Board or the Al-Nusra Front) to the Northwest of Khan Sheikhoun, took control of the town of Tal Kafar Eidoun just three kilometers to the West of the International Aleppo-Damascus Highway.

Meantime, the Syrian army continued its military advances in other parts of Syria over past 24 hours.

Tens of terrorists were killed and dozens more were injured during the Syrian army’s operations in provinces across Syria.

Idlib

The Syrian Army continued its military operations around Khan Sheikhoun in Southern Idlib, and cut off the most important and main route used by the terrorists from Ma’aret al-Numan to Khan Sheikhoun.

The Syrian Army troops, meantime, continued their clashes with Tahrir al-Sham al-Hay’at to the Northwest of Khan Sheikhoun, took control of the town of Tal Kafar Eidoun just three kilometers to the West of the International Aleppo-Damascus Highway.

The Syrian Army troops, meantime, continued their advances from Tal al-Nar to the East of Tal Alas and captured Mohammad Qassem al-Najm Farms and Sifu to the East of Kafar Nab.

A military source, meantime, pointed to the Syrian Army troops’ efforts to lay full siege to Khan Sheikhoun, and said that by imposing control over the Aleppo-Damascus Highway, the Syrian Army has managed to cut off the main road linking Khan Sheikhoun to Ma’aret al-Numan that hosts the largest bastion of the terrorists in Idlib province.

The English-language al-Masdar reported that the Syrian Army is now just one kilometers away from Khan Sheikhoun.

Eastern Euphrates

The tribal leaders of the Eastern Euphrates in a meeting held in Hasaka province asked the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) to hold serious and unconditional talks with the Syrian government, the Arabic-language media outlets said.

The Arabic-language website of the Russian Sputnik news agency reported that the tribal sheikhs of Eastern Euphrates organized a meeting themed ‘No to Turkey’s Threats, Yes to Safe Syria’ in the city of Qameshli in Hasaka province and issued a statement calling for serious negotiations with the Damascus government.

A renowned tribal leader, Sheikh Akram al-Mahshoush, from al-Jabour tribe and secretary general of Democratic Conservative Party affiliated to the Kurdish militia said that all tribal leaders, including Arabs and Kurds, participating in the meeting underlined the need to maintain Syria’s territorial integrity and unity against Turkey’s plans and said that the Syrian Democratic Council should expedite holding unconditional talks with Damascus.

Al-Mahoush reiterated that a committee comprising representatives of Arab and Kurdish tribes has been formed in al-Jazeereh to attend a meeting with representatives of the Damascus government to foil all plots aimed at disintegrating Syria.