Following rejection by “Soqour Al-Sham” Brigade to be disbanded | Tension grows in Afrin countryside, amid heavy deployment of Turkish forces and closure of crossings

Aleppo province: SOHR activists have reported heavy deployment of Turkish forces and joint troops at checkpoints in Al-Ghazzawiyah in Shirawa district, Deir Ballout in Jendires district and the junction of Kafr Jannah village in Sharra district in Afrin countryside.

Meanwhile, Turkish forces and their proxy factions have closed crossings with Idlib province to the civil and military movement.

Moreover, Turkish armoured vehicles have been deployed in those areas.

SOHR activists have also monitored armoured vehicles stationed at Al-Ruba’i checkpoint in Kafr Jannah village in Sharra district, where members stationed at the checkpoint stopped vehicles heading from Azaz to Afrin and changed they way to Qatma village.

These developments followed the rejection of “Soqour Al-Sham” Brigade to be disbanded, where the brigade joined “Al-Jabha Al-Shamiyyah” instead; this, in turn, triggered Turkish authorities’ anger.

Accordingly, Ankara ordered the factions of “Al-Amshat,” “Al-Hamza” Division and “Sultan Murad” Division to be put on high alert in “Euphrates Shield” and “Olive Branch” areas.