HTS pull out of military convoy after protests in northwest Syria

Rival opposition militias in northwest Syria made amendments on Sunday to a preliminary ceasefire agreement, which sparked widespread protests across rebel territories.

Hardline Islamist extremist group Hayaat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) backtracked on its plans to conduct a military convoy in areas controlled by factions of the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army (SNA) in the northern province of Aleppo.

The decision was made after activists protested in over 15 areas across the region, including Al-Bab, Afrin, Jarabulus, Azaz and Marea, blocking roads to prevent HTS from passing through. Activists called for new demonstrations on Monday and a strike.

It comes after clashes between HTS and elements of the former Free Syrian Army (FSA) after the extremist group marched into opposition territories.

ياجولاني اسمع منا هزمناك بـ #كفرجنة من مدينة #اعزاز الحرة pic.twitter.com/VyQVt8lFWU

— قاسم الجاموس أبو وطن (@Kasem_Jamous) October 17, 2022

During negotiations between HTS and the 3rd Corps faction of the SNA on Friday night, it was agreed that areas surrounding Afrin and Azaz would come under a unified military administration supervised by HTS, a military source from the SNA division told The New Arab’s Arabic-language service Al-Araby Al-Jadeed.

The agreement also stipulated the entry of a HTS military convoy in Azaz and other cities, as a symbolic sign to encourage acceptance of their presence in these areas.

HTS has been widely opposed by activists and locals in anti-Assad areas of Syria, due to the group's harsh crackdowns and autocratic approach in dealing with criticism. 

HTS, which emerged from Al-Qaeda's Syrian franchise, is classified as a terrorist organisation by the US, UK and Turkey. Abu Mohammed Al-Jolani has formally cut ties with Al-Qaeda but the militant group remains distrusted by Syrians and neighbouring countries.

Residents fear that if the faction enters areas controlled by the Syrian opposition, it may constitute a pretext for the Russians and the regime to again shell and bomb residential areas, displaced civilian Abu Ali al-Shami told Al-Araby Al-Jadeed.

Al-Shami stated it "could be the beginning" of such assaults, with Russian planes bombarding the outskirts of Azaz city on Sunday.

Russian warplanes also bombed on Sunday a camp belonging to the Suqour Al-Sham faction near the town of Qatmah, in between Azaz and Afrin, along with the southern Idlib countryside, Al-Araby Al-Jadeed reported.

About four million people live in rebel-held areas of Syria, many of them displaced from elsewhere in the country by the war that began in 2011 after Bashar al-Assad's regime crushed peaceful protest.

The Syrian rebels are fragmented into a myriad of different groups, with HTS dominating most of the Idlib province, while Turkish-backed groups control Azaz, Al-Bab and other cities near the Syrian-Turkish border.