Ankara-Backed Terrorists Still Engaged in Infighting, Abduction of Civilians in Afrin

The sources in Afrin said that the militants supported by Ankara kidnapped 9 members of a family, including women and children, in the town of Sheikh Hadid in Western Afrin, demanding $25,000 as ransom for their release.

Meantime, reports said that two groups of Faylaq al-Sham terrorists affiliated to the Turkish army engaged in heavy clashes in the village of Haj Khalil in Northwestern Afrin, leaving at least 5 militants injured.

Also, a number of militants attacked a checkpoint of the Ankara-backed Ferqat al-Hamzeh terrorist group in al-Mahmoudiyeh district in Afrin, killing and wounding several people of both sides.

Relevant reports on Sunday said that militants supported by Ankara had taken hostage a number of civilians in Afrin in Northwestern Aleppo as tensions between the Turkish army and its affiliated terrorists heightened.

The Arabic-language service of Hawar news reported that the militants had also planted bombs in the houses of civilians to detonate them if the Turkish army approaches them.

Meantime, reports said that a military convoy of the so-called National Free Army affiliated to the Turkish army had recently arrived in Afrin to help end infighting among the Ankara-backed militants.

An informed source said that Ankara planned to quell the terrorist groups which oppose Turkey's policies in Northern Syria, adding that these clashes would spread from Afrin to the Northern parts of Aleppo, including al-Ra'ei and Jandaris.

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