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Syrian jihadi group cracks down on last pocket of rivals in Idlib

Hayat Tahrir al-Sham , which controls Syria's northwestern province of Idlib, is waging a war against the jihadi Jundallah group, which it sees as an extremist organization that exposes the Islamic State’s ideology and harbors jihadists that HTS is chasing.
Fighters from the former al-Qaeda Syrian affiliate Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) drive through the village of Hamameyat on the border between Hama and Idlib provinces on July 11, 2019.

ALEPPO — Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which controls Syria’s northwestern province of Idlib, is trying to seize the last pockets of opposing jihadist organizations in the Jabal al-Turkman area, east of Latakia province, and in the western part of Idlib. It launched a large-scale military operation against these groups on Oct. 25.

“The battle is still going on," an HTS military official, who declined to be named, told Al-Monitor. Since Oct. 25, he said, HTS has taken control of Tal al-Mashafa, Tal al-Abraj, Tal Abu Aref and Salour village.

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