Iraq News

Opposition, extremists clash in Syria buffer zone

Fierce clashes have broken out between opposition fighters and extremists in the planned buffer zone around Syria's Idlib region set out under a Russian-Turkish deal, AFP reported Tuesday (October 30th).

"Intense fighting has been going on since Monday, leaving 13 dead in 24 hours," the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

Seven of those killed came from Tahrir al-Sham, an alliance led by former al-Qaeda fighters that controls most of Idlib, the Observatory said.

The latest fighting pitting extremist hardliners against a Turkish-backed opposition alliance was happening in a part of the "demilitarised" area inside Aleppo province, the Observatory said.

Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman said the extremists had been making an "advance".

There have been repeated clashes in the area involving extremists, opposition groups and regime forces since Moscow and Ankara agreed the deal for Idlib.

But the two power brokers appear intent on making the buffer deal stick as they look to push on with negotiations to end Syria's seven-year war.

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