Idlib's battles in its third stage ... extensive Turkish engagement, simultaneous air and ground warfare, and heavy losses to the regime

Today, the battles in the Syrian north between the regime, its supporters and the opposition forces, backed by Turkey, have entered its third stage since the Sochi Agreement collapsed and the regime started its military campaign to restore the areas that the opposition has.

The new stage was marked by widespread Turkish involvement, and strong entry of its combat aircraft, especially its armed aircraft, in exchange for a retreat of the regime forces and advanced to the armed opposition on more than one front.

Today, the Turkish Ministry of Defense announced the shooting down of two Su-24 fighters of the Syrian regime after they attacked Turkish fighters, and destroyed three air defense systems, while the media outlets of the regime announced the shooting down of three Turkish helicopters in Idlib.

From the regime's attack to its retreat
It can be said that during the past weeks, the situation in and around Idlib went through three stages, as follows:

The first stage: It was the large-scale ground assault of the regime forces backed by a wide air cover from the Russians, through which it managed to control large areas in the western countryside of Aleppo, Idlib, and the countryside of Hama.

- The second stage: shortly after this sweeping attack by the regime forces; Turkey intervened and sent military reinforcements, especially after some of its control points were targeted by the regime forces and the militias fighting alongside it.

During this phase, the opposition began - with Turkish cover - to partially regain the initiative, and was able to break the defense lines of the regime in Idlib countryside, where it took control after several attempts at Nayrab and then to observe, but the forces of the regime were in the same force extending their control over other fronts.

The third stage: This stage began somehow after the killing of Turkish soldiers and the entry of Turkish planes with clearly demonstrated effectiveness in the field, and it can be said that it actually started this morning after the deadline granted by Turkey to the Syrian regime forces to return to before the borders of the Sochi Agreement.

This stage was marked by extensive Turkish attacks, which inflicted heavy losses on the regime forces.

Spring Shield
While the Turkish drones were ramming dozens of sites belonging to the regime, Turkish Defense Minister Khulusi Akar came out to announce that the new military move came as part of an operation he called "Operation Spring Shield against the Syrian regime forces in Idlib that started after the treacherous attack on Turkish forces on February 27," ".

Akar presented a summary of the results of the operation since its inception, which so far included the losses of the regime in "the neutralization of two thousand and 212 elements, the destruction of a droning plane, eight helicopters, 103 tanks, 72 guns and rocket launchers, and three air defense systems." This is in addition to two Sukhoi 24 fighters.

Anatolia Agency also confirmed that the Nairab military airport in Aleppo was out of service after being targeted by the Turkish army.

And within the interactions of this process inside Turkey, it is expected that the Turkish Parliament will hold a closed session, on Tuesday, to hear the defense ministers, Khulusi Akar, and Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoglu, on the latest developments in Idlib, northwestern Syria.

Bombing areas
These developments coincide with the intensification of the Turkish army's artillery and artillery bombardment of dozens of sites belonging to the regime in Idlib and Aleppo countryside since last night, and the opposition has regained new villages in the region.

Al-Jazeera correspondent said earlier that the Turkish shelling focused heavily in the vicinity of the cities of Saraqib and Maarat al-Numan and the villages of Jabal al-Zawiya in Idlib countryside, in addition to sites in the western countryside of Aleppo.

He also pointed out that Turkish Marching planes targeted the locations of the regime forces in the Jamiat Al-Zahra neighborhood and the Nairab military airport in Aleppo.

The targeting of the regime's sites coincided with violent clashes by the Syrian opposition in Idlib countryside, which resulted in its progress and its entry into the villages of Cairo, Qalidin, and al-Ankawi in Sahel Al-Ghab in Hama countryside, according to Al-Jazeera correspondent.

The opposition was reported to have killed scores of soldiers and destroyed a number of vehicles, as well as countering the attempts of the regime forces to advance in southern Saraqib. He stated that the opposition took control of the towns of Sifouhun and Al-Fatira in the southern countryside of Idlib.

The Al-Jazeera correspondent also reported that nine Lebanese Hezbollah guerrillas were killed and several others were wounded in the fighting.

In parallel, the death toll from the regime's and Russia's raids on Idlib and the Aleppo countryside will rise to eight civilians.

Iranian dead
On the other hand, Iranian media reported that 21 fighters from the "Fatimiyoun" and "Zaynabiyoun" brigades were killed during the recent armed confrontations in Idlib.

The leadership of the Iranian forces in Syria - which identifies itself as the Iranian Consultative Center in Syria - has called on Ankara to act "wisely" to ensure the interests of the Turkish and Syrian peoples.

The center stated that the Turkish forces in Syria have been in the "resistance forces" goal for the past months, but were not targeted as a result of political agreements and the decision of the military leaders.

"The Turkish forces targeted our forces last days. Despite our efforts to resolve the situation, the Turkish attacks continued, resulting in the death of several members of our forces," he added.