HTS terrorists creating weapons depots in refugee camps in Syria’s Idlib, Russia’s Defense Ministry says
The Russian Defense Ministry has warned that members of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) terrorist outfit are stockpiling various types of weapons at two refugee camps in Syria’s northwestern province of Idlib, amid reports that the extremists are also planning to stage false-flag attacks against civilians in coordination with the so-called civil defense group White Helmets.
“The Russian Center for Reconciliation of Opposing Sides in Syria has received reports about deterioration of the humanitarian situation in Harim and Salkim refugee camps in Idlib province,” the deputy head of the center, Major General Oleg Yegorov, said.
He added, “According to the available information, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham militants have created weapons depots at both camps.”
Yegorov noted that the terrorists do not allow representatives from international organizations to access the refugee camps in order to conceal their activities.
“The militants’ actions pose a direct threat to the lives of refugees and are another example of how terrorists use civilians as a human shield,” he stressed.
Last week, the Russian Center for Reconciliation of Opposing Sides in Syria said Hayat Tahrir al-Sham terrorists, in cooperation with White Helmets representatives, intended to carry out acts of provocation in the Idlib de-escalation zone.
Yegorov said at the time that the false-flag attacks were meant to incriminate Syrian government forces and Russian troops and accuse them of operations against populated areas and civilian facilities.
On October 13, HTS terrorists took over a strategic town in northwest Syria following days of clashes with several militant groups, who were controlling the area.
Local sources said the Takfiris entered the town of Afrin after its former rulers withdrew their forces.
The HTS, by far the strongest remaining militant group in Aleppo, has allied with former foes, including the Hamzah Division, Sultan Suleiman Shah Division, Ahrar al-Sham and the remnants of the Nour al-Din al-Zenki Movement, all terror outfits belonging to the so-called Syrian National Army.
Afrin has been under control of Turkey and its allied militant groups since 2018, following a Turkey-backed military operation that pushed Syrian Kurdish fighters and thousands of Kurdish residents from the area.
Since then, Afrin and surrounding villages have been the site of attacks on Turkish and Turkey-backed targets.
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