Terrorist Tahrir Al-Sham Declares Formal Rejection of Sochi Agreement on Demilitarized Zone in Northern Syria

Tahrir al-Sham said, in a statement, that it will never lay down weapons and will continue countering the Syrian Army several weeks after conclusion of the Sochi Agreement by Russia and Turkey to create a demilitarized zone in Southern Idlib, Northeastern Lattakia and Western Aleppo.

In the meantime, the Arabic-language al-Watan daily reported that there have not been any sign of withdrawal by the terrorists, “instead, they have been targeting army positions”.

Meanwhile, the London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported last night that terrorists launched mortar attacks on the army positions in Western Aleppo and Northern Hama where based on Sochi Agreement must be demilitarized.

Militant-affiliated sources reported on Sunday that tensions were rising among various groups of militants in Northern and Northwestern Syria over the Sochi Agreement as the deadline for its implementation was looming.

The sources said that violent feuds erupted among terrorists over Tahrir al-Sham Hay’at retreat from the demilitarized zone in Northern and Northwestern Syria and start of a so-called Salvation Government in the region.

In the meantime, a commander of Free Syrian Army (FSA) said that one of the most difficult phases of implementing the Sochi Agreement is withdrawal of militants that are enlisted as terrorists from the demilitarized zone and then relocation of the terrorist groups in other regions in Idlib without their dissolution.

The FSA commander further said that another serious difference over the Sochi Agreement pertains to the administration of those territories remaining under terrorists’ occupation in Northern and Northwestern Syria in the presence of a salvation government and the interim government in the region.

The terrorist groups must withdraw forces and heavy weapons from the demilitarized zone under the Sochi Agreement by October 15.