• Islamic State 2.0.The coming terror

At least 40 jihadist officials died on Saturday in northwestern Syria, an oenegé announced, in a missile attack claimed by US forces.

The attack, which occurred at a training camp north of Idlib, was aimed at leaders of the organization known as AQ-S ("Al Qaeda in Syria"), which he blamed for "attacks that threaten US citizens, partners and innocent civilians, "Lt. Col. Earl Brown, a spokesman for the US Central Command, said in a statement.

This operation occurred on the first day of a truce in the bombings of the Syrian regime and its Russian ally against the Idlib region, controlled by Hayat Tahrir al Sham (HTS), the most powerful jihadist group present in the region.

In addition, this Saturday there was another bombing of the Syrian army in Idlib, in which a civilian died, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (OSDH). "This is the first victim since the ceasefire came into effect," said OSDH director Rami Abdel Rahman.

In the case of the US bombing, "missile firings were directed against a meeting of the leaders of the jihadist groups Hurras al Din, Ansar al Tawhid and other extremist allied groups within a training camp," said Abdel Rahman. Those other groups are linked to the former Syrian al Qaeda subsidiary.

It is one of the deadliest balances among jihadists in a single attack in Syria.

In 2014, the United States created an international coalition to fight the jihadist group Islamic State (IS) that was defeated last March in Syria with the help of Kurdish forces. Although US troops remain in Syria, the bombings against extremist targets had been reduced considerably since 2017.

Truce of the regime in Idlib

The aerial bombardment and ground fighting had ceased on Saturday morning in this province under rebel and jihadist control, after a ceasefire announced by Russia, an ally of Syrian President Bashar al Asad, the OSDH said.

On Friday, the Russian army had declared a unilateral ceasefire of the Syrian army starting at dawn on Saturday to "stabilize the situation" in the area where more than 950 civilians have lost their lives since April, according to the OSDH. The bombings also generated 400,000 displaced people, according to UN data.

An agreement was reached for "a unilateral ceasefire of Syrian government forces from 06H00 on August 31," the Russian Center for Reconciliation in Syria announced in a statement.

The official press agency Sana announced on Saturday, citing a military source, that Damascus accepted this agreement, although the Syrian army qualified that it "reserves the right to react to violations" of the truce by jihadists and groups rebels

However, the missile firing of the Syrian army in the city of Kafranbel, which caused the death of a civilian, occurred just hours after the ceasefire began.

The OSDH also reported the death of two members of the forces related to the Syrian regime after their vehicle was attacked by rebel and jihadist groups near the border between the Idlib region and the Hama region.

In addition, a Russian drone was killed by jihadists from Hayat Tahrir al Sham, according to the OSDH.

A "temporary" truce

The ceasefire started on Saturday was "temporary," Buthaina Chaaban, a counselor for the Syrian president, said on Saturday during a television interview. "The truce serves the great liberation strategy of every inch of Syrian territory," he added.

Another ceasefire decreed in Idlib in early August had only been respected for a few days.

After several months of intense bombing of Russian and Syrian aviation, Bashar al-Assad's forces began on August 8 a ground offensive in Idlib.

This week, the Syrian army conquered new territories in this region, after having taken control of the strategic city of Jan Sheijun, in southern Idlib.

Outside the areas under Kurdish control, the regime now controls around 60% of the country.

According to the criteria of The Trust Project

Know more

  • U.S
  • Syria
  • Terrorism

Middle East: Israel attacks an arsenal in Iraq linked to a Shiite militia backed by Iran

Immigration As many requests for asylum as in all 2018

Russia Vladimir Putin agrees with Erdogan to fight the "terrorists" in Idlib but without stopping Bashar Asad