Artillery fire hit surrounding of Turkish observation point in Sarmin town

(Zaman Al Wasl)- Syrian regime forces on Tuesday have hit Sarmin town with heavy artillery fire near a Turkish observation point, such a provocation may undermine the fragile ceasefire reached last March to end bloodshed in northern Idlib province.

According to Zaman al-Wasl correspondent, the artillery barrage has destroyed few buildings. No casualties reported.

The artillery also targeted the villages of Hazarin, al-Ftira and Sfouhen.

The regime army has also sent new reinforcements from the First Division in southern Damascus to Jabal Shahshubo area near Idlib, activists said.

More than 100 Syrian military trucks carrying 400 troops, ammunition, tanks and canons headed the eastern countryside of Idlib.

Due to the Coronavirus pandemic and a ceasefire deal reached last March, the death toll of Syrian civilians has recorded the lowest figure in nine years with 175.

Idlib province is home to 3.5 million civilians, according to the United Nations.

In its turn, Turkish forces have set up four new observation points in Jisr al-Shughour area, topping the number to 56 as heavy reinforcements are still pouring to the last opposition stronghold in Syria.

The new outposts have been established in the villages of Frika and Bakseryah west of Jisr al-Shughour city.

In March, Turkish forces set up six observation points in al-Ghassaneyah, Bidama, al-Najiyeh, and al-Zainiya, al-Misherfah and Tel Khattab, an array of villages located in the Jisr al-Shughour region.

Turkey said on Sunday it would minimise its troop movements in operation zones in neighbouring Syria in response to the coronavirus outbreak as the Turkish death toll and infections in the country rose, Reuters reported.

Troops deployed in Syria will now enter and exit operation areas only with the permission of the head of the army, the ministry said. “Thus, the movement of staff and troops is minimized, unless it is mandatory,” it added.

The nine-year-old conflict has killed more than 390,000 people and displaced 7 millions.

Zaman Al Wasl