Syrian Army Repels Islamist Militants' Attack on Idlib DMZ – Military Source

In September, Russia and Turkey agreed to set up and enforce a demilitarized zone (DMZ) in Syria’s northwestern province of Idlib in a bid to avoid a largescale military confrontation in the area and give diplomacy a chance.

Hardline Islamist militants attacked Syrian Army positions and observation points in Idlib on Thursday, Al-Masdar News reported, citing a military source.

Jihadists from Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham carried out the surprise assault this morning, targeting an abandoned military outpost in eastern parts of the province.

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Government troops were able to repel the attack, though they suffered at least five casualties as a result of the skirmish. It’s unclear exactly how many militants were killed during the failed attack.

Several other similar breaches of the ceasefire agreement have been reported, with some groups seemingly uninterested in eventually laying down their arms nor any sort of political settlement.

For now, Damascus is still respecting the agreement, though a large number of Syrian Army troops remain stationed in the area, ready to liberate the province by force if the Syrian government orders such a move.

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