Standoff between rival groups locks down north Syria crossing
Hayat Tahrir al-Sham has arrested several members of the Sham Legion affiliated with the Turkish-backed Free Syrian Army and the crossing point between north Syrian areas held by the two groups remains closed.
IDLIB, Syria — Tensions are high at the Ghazawiya crossing, which separates the town of Darat Azza in the western countryside of Aleppo under the control of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and the Afrin area, under the control of the Turkish-backed Free Syrian Army (FSA).
On April 15, the FSA-affiliated Sham Legion arrested an HTS member as he tried to enter the Olive Branch area, which is under control of the FSA. In response, HTS arrested 22 members of the Sham Legion who were returning from the HTS-held Idlib area at the Darat Izza-Ghazawiya crossing.
HTS blocked all members of the Sham Legion from passing to and from Idlib until the issue is resolved.
Two crossings link the HTS areas to the FSA ones. The Darat Izza-Ghazawiya crossing, also known as the Darat Izza Road, connects the city of Darat Izza in the western countryside of Aleppo to the Afrin area in the eastern countryside of Aleppo. The other is the Atma-Deir Ballut crossing. Both border guards on each side.
