The Arabic-language al-Watan newspaper quoted sources close to the militants as saying on Thursday that Tahrir al-Sham has demanded control over certain crossroads on M5 highway which links Aleppo to Hama and M4 highway that links Aleppo to Lattakia.
They added that the Turkish intelligence body has opposed the demand, specially about the passageways located between the Syrian army-controlled areas and those occupied by the terrorists in Idlib, Western Aleppo and Sahl al-Qab in Northwestern Hama, adding that Turkey wants to deliver their control to the National Liberation Front militants who are supported by Turkey.
The report said if Tahrir al-Sham and Ankara come into terms with each other over this issue, the terrorist group will soon start withdrawal from demilitarized zone.
Tahrir al-Sham terrorist group is attempting to maintain its positions in Syria, it said.
A Kurdish-language media outlet warned on Monday that Tahrir al-Sham Hay’at terrorists were planning to merge with Ankara-backed militants in occupied Afrin in Northwestern Aleppo.
Hawar news quoted a well-informed source in Afrin as reporting that Tahrir al-Sham had held a joint meeting with Ankara-backed National Liberation Front in Jandaris region.
It further said that the meeting was aimed at legalizing presence of Tahrir al-Sham in the region and setting up a joint group.
Other news sources had already reported on Tahrir al-Sham’s presence in Deir Balout region in Jandaris.
In the meantime, local sources in Afrin pointed to the Ankara forces’ attempts to settle terrorist groups of Idlib in Afrin, adding that the terrorists had threatened residents of the village of Jouqah and other nearby villages to leave their region or they would get themselves killed.
