Syrian regime loyalists target Turkish convoy in southern Aleppo

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — A Turkish column of vehicles in the south of Aleppo governorate came under fire from fighters loyal to the Syrian regime late Thursday night.

Pro-regime fighters shelled the convoy near the town of al-Eis as it was moving from west to east from Turkish-backed, opposition-held territory towards Bashar al-Assad loyalist-held territory about 26 kilometers southwest of Aleppo city, reported the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights Reported (SOHR).

 

The clashes led to the retreat of the Turkish military vehicles, according to SOHR.

There were unconfirmed reports of Syrian war planes striking near the convoy. Russia has been a major backer of the Syrian regime — especially via air power — but its military did not immediately claim any role in the strikes.

SOHR reported on Wednesday that Lebanese Hezbollah, Iran's IRGC and other non-Syrians claimed to have witnessed a Turkish reconnaissance force "roaming" in the vicinity.

Al-Eis is about 29 kilometers north of Abu al-Duhur military base, where there were also reports of clashes between Hayat Thrir al-Sham, also called al-Qaeda in Syria, and Assad loyalists.

Turkey and its so-called Free Syrian Army proxies began a three-pronged assault on the Kurdish-controlled canton of Afrin in northwest Aleppo on January 21.

The regime of Assad has condemned Turkey’s Operation Olive Branch in Afrin.