Jihadists in Syria's Idlib refuse to give up weapons
Jihadists in Syria's Idlib refuse to give up weapons
Jihadists in Idlib released a statement saying they would refuse to give up their weapons, but remained ambiguous on their stance on the Turkey-Russia deal.
2 min read
Rebels have removed heavy weapons from the buffer zone in Idlib province (Getty)
The dominant alliance in Syria's last major rebel stronghold of Idlib province said Sunday it would continue to fight, hours before a deadline for the jihadists to withdraw from a planned buffer zone.
However the group did not explicity reject the deal between regime ally Russia and rebel backer Turkey to stave off a regime attack on Idlib.
"We have not abandoned our choice of jihad and fighting towards implementing our blessed revolution," said Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, an alliance led by the jihadists of Al-Qaeda's former Syrian affiliate.
Its statement came just hours before a midnight deadline for HTS and other jihadists to leave a planned demilitarised zone around the northwestern region of Idlib agreed under a Russian-Turkey deal last month.
But as the clock ticked down, HTS did not explicitly say whether it supported or rejected the September 17 accord.
"We appreciate the efforts of all those who strive inside and abroad to protect the liberated area and forbid its destruction or massacres being carried out in it," HTS said, in a likely reference to Turkey.
"But at the same time, we warn of the deceitfulness of the Russian occupier and against any trust in its intentions," it added, referring the regime's ally.
The jihadists said they would not give up their weapons.
"We will not abandon them or hand them over," they said.
Sources in north Syria told The New Arab Arabic sister site that the group is moving towards accepting the deal, with reservations of some of the clauses of the agreement.
HTS and other jihadists control more than two-thirds of the planned demilitarise area that was to come into force on Monday.
President Bashar al-Assad's forces have retaken large parts of Syria from rebels and jihadists since Russia intervened in the civil war in 2015.
However the group did not explicity reject the deal between regime ally Russia and rebel backer Turkey to stave off a regime attack on Idlib.
"We have not abandoned our choice of jihad and fighting towards implementing our blessed revolution," said Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, an alliance led by the jihadists of Al-Qaeda's former Syrian affiliate.
Its statement came just hours before a midnight deadline for HTS and other jihadists to leave a planned demilitarised zone around the northwestern region of Idlib agreed under a Russian-Turkey deal last month.
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But as the clock ticked down, HTS did not explicitly say whether it supported or rejected the September 17 accord.
"We appreciate the efforts of all those who strive inside and abroad to protect the liberated area and forbid its destruction or massacres being carried out in it," HTS said, in a likely reference to Turkey.
"But at the same time, we warn of the deceitfulness of the Russian occupier and against any trust in its intentions," it added, referring the regime's ally.
The jihadists said they would not give up their weapons.
"We will not abandon them or hand them over," they said.
Sources in north Syria told The New Arab Arabic sister site that the group is moving towards accepting the deal, with reservations of some of the clauses of the agreement.
HTS and other jihadists control more than two-thirds of the planned demilitarise area that was to come into force on Monday.
President Bashar al-Assad's forces have retaken large parts of Syria from rebels and jihadists since Russia intervened in the civil war in 2015.
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