© Mikhail KLIMENTYEV / SPUTNIK / AFP
The bloody Assad regime is threatening the last seedlings of democracy planted by Mr. al-Julani and his foreign backers in the Syrian province of Idlib.
On February 3, regime forces
attacked peaceful al-Qaeda activists in the villages of Nay-rab, Tor-naba, and cut off the M4 highway west Saraqib. Idlib and Saraqib are
well-known strongholds of tolerance and diversity, where vetted members of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the Turkistan Islamic Party, Horas Ad-Din and similar non-governmental humanitarian organizations operate.
Assad forces, backed up by the Russians, deployed approximately 7km from Idlib city and continued developing an advance in order to outflank Saraqib from the northwestern direction. They likely seek to capture Saramin and cut off the last direct road linking Idlib with Saraqib. According to some pro-Assad sources, the army even attacked Saraqib itself.
Earlier on the same day, regime forces conducted a 'treacherous attack' on Turkish troops deployed near Saraqib in order to protect their local partners. In response, the Turkish Armed Forces reportedly struck over 50 regime targets 'neutralizing' at least 76 pro-government fighters.
Nonetheless, the young Idlib democracy remained in grave danger.
Turkish forces are now establishing additional positions near Saraqib in order to protect the town and local humanitarian activists from political repressions.
