File image.
The March 26 Russian airstrikes on the northwestern Syrian region of Greater Idlib, which is controlled by al-Qaeda-affiliated Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and other terrorist groups, was a response to a drone attack that took place just a day earlier.
According to Syrian pro-government news sources, the attack involved a single suicide drone and targeted the government-held of town of Khan Shikhun in the southern Idlib countryside. The drone was shot down by Syrian air defenses over the outskirts of the town before it could reach its designated target. No material losses or casualties were reported.
The attack was a blatant violation of the ceasefire in Greater Idlib, which was brokered by Russia and Turkey more than three years ago.
The Syrian Arab Army (SAA) maintains a large presence in Khan Shikhun, which is located some 20 kilometers away from Greater Idlib main frontline. Russian forces are also present in the town to support the army and monitor the ceasefire in the region.
Retaliatory Russian airstrikes hit the outskirts of the towns of Fleifel and Sufuhon in Zawiya Mountain in the southern Idlib countryside. This was the first wave of Russian airstrikes to hit the region in more than five months.
The attack was likely launched by HTS or one of its allies in Greater Idlib, who have been operating suicide drones for more than five years. It is still unclear how the terrorist group was able to develop such drones and source the parts needed to manufacture them.
A recently leaked United States intelligence document revealed that the Ukraine secret service plotted attacks against Russian forces in Syria. Kiev explored the option of launching the attacks from Greater Idlib, but faced an objection from Turkey who maintains a large force in the region in cooperation with Russia.
The SAA and Russian forces are already working to eradicate HTS’s drone program. Last year, Syrian missile strikes and Russian airstrikes targeted several drone workshops, storage and training facilities of the terrorist group in Greater Idlib. Dozens of makeshift drones were destroyed along with their control and launch stations. Many drone experts and operators were also killed.
MORE ON THIS TOPIC:
