The Syrian newspaper "Al-Watan" reported that the organization "Jabhat Al-Nusra," under the facade of "Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham," has exploited the security instability in the northern countryside of Aleppo to head towards Afrin, prompting the Turkish army to mobilize. The newspaper pointed out that the organization has deployed military convoys to the crossings connecting the western Aleppo countryside with the northern province, intending to advance to Afrin, which it had previously controlled twice last year.
Local sources indicated that "Nusra" brought in troop carriers loaded with its members and medium to heavy weapons to the Al-Ghazawiya crossing, which links its controlled area in western Aleppo countryside with the northern province, also known as the Olive Branch area. It was noted that this move aims to "test the waters" of the Turkish army present in the region through a nearby base by the crossing, hoping to continue its advance into Afrin, and further to the conflict zones between the "National Army" in Mare and Azaz, up to the Al-Haramain crossing in the Al-Bab area in the northeast of the province, where the group's allies from "Ahrar Al-Awlan" control the crossing.
Sources confirmed to "Al-Watan" that the gathering of "Nusra" provoked Turkish soldiers in their military base near the Al-Ghazawiya crossing, who then advanced more than a kilometer towards the crossing to prevent the advancement of "Nusra" terrorists, without any clashes occurring between the two parties.
