afrinpost– Exclusive
Syrians for Truth and Justice (STJ) released a report on April 3, 2023, warning of the increased military presence of the terrorist group “Hayat Tahrir al-Sham” (HTS) in the city of Afrin, northwest Syria. The NGO stated that HTS has strengthened its military and security presence in the city by recruiting members from the nearby city of Darat Azza in western Aleppo.
According to the report, HTS formed an alliance with the Turkish-affiliated “al-Hamzat” and “al-Amshat” militias, which facilitated its entry into Afrin and helped it maintain a permanent presence in the area. The report also highlighted that HTS took advantage of the chaos and security vacuum in Afrin, including the recent devastating earthquake, to further its expansion and attempt to control the entire northern Aleppo countryside.
The region has witnessed new military alliances, and despite Turkey’s intervention to halt the fighting and return the situation to what it was before, HTS has not completely withdrawn from Afrin. The group has maintained a strong presence under the cover of other militias by infiltrating its members and fighters into the military and civilian police apparatuses in the area, as per the report.
The warning by “Syrians for Truth and Justice” comes amid concerns of escalating violence and terrorist activity in Afrin, a region that has witnessed significant fighting and displacement in recent years. The report calls for urgent action to address the threat of HTS and other extremist groups in the area to ensure the safety and security of the local population.
