SOHR: Syrian regime transports hundreds of Daesh fighters to Idlib

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) revealed that during the last three days, the Syrian regime transferred hundreds of Daesh fighters from Deir ez-Zor, in the east, to Idlib Province, located in the northwest of the country, according to Arabi21.

SOHRstated that the fighters were transported since Sunday night from the border province with Iraq and arrived in batches to Idlib.

The Observatory added that “the forces of the Iranian regime have moved more than 400 Daesh fighters from the area of Abu Kamal, near the borders with Iraq.

SOHR confirmed that “the transfer took place from Abu Kamal countryside to the eastern countryside of Idlib. The fighters were taken to areas close to the region controlled by jihadist factions operating in the Province of Idlib, and they arrived at dawn on Monday.”

The observatory asserted that “it is still unknown whether the 400 elements have been able to enter the eastern countryside of Idlib, where active ISIS (Daesh) cells are located.”

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The source of Arabi21has revealed earlier that armed groups affiliated to Hay’at Tahrir Al-Sham (former Al-Nusra Front) have split from the organisation and joined more radical factions, like The Guardians of Religion Organization that broke ties with Daesh in a move the newly formed bloc is keeping discreet.

Hay’at Tahrir Al-Sham controls areas in the Province of Idlib, and there are other factions, notably Ahrar Al-Sham, which are dominating other regions.

The forces of the Syrian regime took control of some areas in the outskirts of Idlib earlier this year during an attack on the province’s eastern countryside.

About three million people live in Idlib and some neighbouring areas. Half of them have been displaced from other regions alongside a large number of fighters who refused to lay down their arms, coming mainly from the Eastern Ghouta (near Damascus) which has been subjected to a long siege and violent attacks.

Idlib avoided an attack the Syrian regime and its allies were planning for earlier this month after an agreement was reached by Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan to form a demilitarised zone in the province and expel extremist fighters.

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