Syrian escalation risks all-out conflict involving Turkey, Russia, Iran
A military escalation on all axes and from all sides in Syria followed the Tehran summit.
After the tripartite meeting in Tehran between Russia, Turkey and Iran to discuss the Syrian file, shelling and attacks escalated between the parties to the conflict in Syria. The regime forces and Russia attacked Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and other factions in Idlib, while the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) fought off the Turkish army and the Turkish-backed Free Syrian Army (FSA) in northeastern Syria and north-central Syria.
The escalation began after the Russian air force launched airstrikes on the outskirts of the village of Yacoubiyeh in the Jisr al-Shughur countryside west of Idlib, killing seven civilians and injuring several others, including women and children who were trapped under the rubble.
In response, HTS and some factions in Idlib affiliated with Al-Fatah al-Mubeen operations room bombed areas under the control of the Syrian government forces in Kabana and Turkmen Mountain in the Latakia countryside; Jurin, al-Basa, al-Baraka and al-Suqaylabiyah in the western countryside of Hama; Saraqib, Dadikh and Jawbas in the eastern Idlib countryside; Kafranbel in Jabal al-Zawiya; the vicinity of Maarat al-Numan and Kafrouma in the southern countryside of Idlib; and Qubtan al-Jabal and Hayer Drakl in the western countryside of Aleppo.
The Turkish forces also bombed several areas under SDF control, especially in the area of Tal Rifaat and the villages of Ain Issa, Tal Tamr and Kobani, with a Turkish drone targeting a car on the road between Qamishli and al-Qahtaniyah that killed three people. The Kurdish forces represented by the SDF responded by bombing the forest of the town of Kafr Jannah in the Afrin region and the vicinity of the city of Azaz, which is under FSA control. Meanwhile, the Turkish army bombed the vicinity of the city of Tal Rifaat, injuring several civilians.
