Hama’s Northern Countryside Still under Attack despite the Russian-Turkish Agreement on a Buffer Zone

Pro-government forces continue to bombard Hama’s northern countryside, injuring two civilians, after Turkey and Russia agree to establish a demilitarized zone[1] northern Syria between opposition and Syrian government forces with a dozen of observation points.

Mohammed Howaish, director of Hama Media Office, told STJ on October 1, 2018 that the Regime forces attacked Hama’s northern countryside 30 times during September 2018; as on the 20^th of it, they hit the villages: Abu Raeid and Janabra with tank shells, Al-Zeyarah and Sirmaniyah with rocket launchers, Mansura with heavy artillery as well as targeting Ma'arkaba, farmlands in the vicinity of the Ltamenah and the Al Arbaeen with mortar shells with firing heavy machine guns on Janabra and Ltamenah edges. On the 21^st farmlands around Ltamenah and edges of al-Jissat village were hit by mortar shells.

On the 22^nd Ma'arkaba village was hit by mortar shells while Janabra was artillery shelled. On the 23^rd Janabra was also shelled with heavy artillery and al-Jissat with heavy machine guns which also be hit with mortars on the 24^th along with Tel al-Sakher.

On the 25^th forces at Masasinah checkpoint attacked Ltamenah with mortars which struck civilian houses, injuring a woman and a member at the village's local council named Mahmoud Bakkour.

On the 26^th Abu Ragheda, farmlands around Ltamenah, Tel Alsaker, and al-Jissat were attacked with tank shells.

On the 28^th Ltamenah vicinity was hit with mortar shells and Al-Zakah with heavy machine-guns.

On the 29^th al-Jissat was arterially shelled while Al-Buwaydah of Ltamenah were hit with mortars, which also hit al-Jissat on the 30^th, according to Howaish.

In a related vein, Ltamenah’s local council announced the return of 600 families, fled the village earlier the same month due to intensive bombardment, which abated considerably after the agreement reached between Turkey and Russia in Sochi[2] to establish a de-militarized zone in Idlib city, adjacent to Hama’s northern countryside, ruling out an imminent offensive.