Syria: Strong jihadist group claims it was unaware that IK leader lived in Idlib

The Hayat Tahrir al-Sam (HTS), the former al Qaeda-linked al-Qaeda in the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), said on Sunday it was unaware that the leader of the opposition Islamic State (IS) had been killed in the area. US Special Forces raid.

The leader of the Islamic State, Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurashi, was killed Thursday in a US-led operation in Atmeh, Idlib province, the last stronghold of jihadists and rebels in Syria.

“We were not aware that such an operation would take place in advance,” the HTS said in a statement on Sunday night, adding that it was unaware of the “identity of the residents” of the target house.

“We condemn this operation”, the organization added, stressing at the same time that it will continue to “fight against perversions and crimes” of the IC.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the CSTO sporadically conducts operations against IK nuclei in northwestern Syria. It controls about half of this area.

In recent months, the HTS has been involved in clashes with armed jihadists close to the ISIS, especially in the south and southwest of Idlib, according to the same non-governmental organization, which has a wide network of sources in the war-torn country.

In addition to half of Idlib province, the HTS also controls sectors in the neighboring provinces of Hama, Aleppo and Latakia.

In the area, one of the last pockets still out of Damascus’ control, members of rebel and jihadist organizations close to the CPS have also taken refuge, including Hurah al-Din.

SOURCE: AMPE

Source: Capital

You may also like