Less than 24hrs after opening Abu al-Zandin crossing in Aleppo shelled

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Al Mayadeen
19 Aug 2024 18:03

The Abu al-Zandin crossing, located in the eastern Aleppo countryside, has been subjected to intense shelling of unknown origin, less than 24 hours after its opening under a Russian-Turkish agreement.

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Russian-Turkish preparations for the opening of Abu al-Zandin crossing. (Social media)

The Al Mayadeen correspondent in Aleppo reported that the Abu al-Zandin crossing in the eastern Aleppo countryside was subjected to intense shelling of unknown origin less than 24 hours after its opening.

The correspondent noted that sources close to the armed militia groups confirmed that "fighters from Ahrar al-Sham, allied with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and known as Ahrar Oulan, were responsible for the shelling with mortar and artillery fire."

This shelling appears to be an attempt to prevent the commercial opening of the crossing and to block the implementation of the Russian-Turkish agreement, which aims to open commercial and humanitarian crossings linking areas controlled by armed militia groups with areas under Syrian government authority.

The decision to open the crossing, which connects areas controlled by the "National Army" otherwise known as the Free Syrian Army, with areas under Syrian government authority, was made two months ago following a Russian-Turkish agreement coordinated with Damascus. However, protests by some armed militias prevented its opening.

In June, the Turkish army forced one of the armed factions it supports to repair the Abu al-Zandin crossing after it had been damaged and its contents destroyed during an attack aimed at preventing its reopening towards Syrian government-liberated areas.

This agreement comes amid Russia's ongoing efforts to restore relations between Ankara and Damascus. The Russian Foreign Ministry announced in early August that Moscow is prepared to host a meeting between Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

US bolsters military bases in Syria with weapons convoy from Iraq

The United States army has dispatched another convoy of weapons, fuel, and military equipment from Iraq illegally to northeastern Syria, a Syrian military source told Sputnik on Sunday.

"US troops brought a military convoy of 40 trucks with logistical equipment, weapons, ammunition, and tanks loaded with fuel from Iraq to the [Syrian] governorate of al-Hasakah through the al-Waleed border crossing," the source said.

Sputnik had reported on Saturday that a convoy of 43 trucks illegally entered al-Hasakah in Syria, heading toward a US military occupation base in the area.

The US military is continuing to bolster its occupation bases in the al-Hasakah province and other areas in northeastern Syria.

Earlier this month, the US deployed additional Apache helicopters and military equipment to Al-Hasakah, a Syrian military source cited by Sputnik said.

"US forces have reinforced their bases with 15 Apache helicopters to improve their ability to conduct attacks," the source said.

The source told the agency that a US military plane landed at the Kharab Al-Jir base, carrying military equipment, air defense missiles, logistics materials, and 25 service members.