Syrian jihadist group HTS blocks civilians from reaching Turkish border
Hayat Tahrir al-Sham used violence to break up a caravan that was heading toward Syria's Bab al-Hawa border to cross into Turkey.
Security officers affiliated with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) assaulted several journalists who were covering a gathering of civilians near Bab al-Hawa crossing with Turkey in the north.
According to Idlib-based media sources who spoke to Al-Monitor, around 400 civilians from the Idlib area in northwest Syria marched Sept. 12 toward the Bab al-Hawa border crossing as part of a “peace caravan” to cross into Europe via Turkey, leaving behind the deteriorating living conditions in Idlib.
Once they reached the crossing from the Syrian side, over 150 members of HTS’ General Security Agency dispersed the civilians by beating and threatening them.
The sources said that security forces physically attacked some photographers and journalists who were in the area covering the gathering.
