Militants in Syria’s northern region have escalated their attacks on the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) in what appears to be an attempt to sabotage Russia’s ongoing efforts to restore ties between Ankara and Damascus.

The escalation reached its peak after the December 28 breakthrough meeting between the defense ministers and intelligence chiefs of Turkey and Syria in Moscow. In January, several attacks were reported in the northern and western countryside of Aleppo as well as in the southern Idlib countryside.

On January 8, militants of the Turkish-backed Ahrar al-Sham Movement attacked an SAA position near the village of Tell Jijan in the northern countryside of Aleppo. Eight soldiers were allegedly killed in the attack, which violated a de-escalation agreement on the region that was brokered by Russia and Turkey more than five years ago.

Later on January 10, militants from al-Qaeda-affiliated Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the de-facto ruler of Greater Idlib, raided a position of the SAA near the town of Bsartun in the western Aleppo countryside.

The terrorist group acknowledged that three of its militants were killed while taking part in the raid. It also claimed that 15 soldiers of the SAA were killed. However, pro-government news sources said that only three soldiers had lost their lives.

On the very next day, January 11, HTS militants raided another position of the SAA located near the town of Kawkabeh in the southern Idlib countryside. Seven soldiers were allegedly killed in the attack.

HTS’s raids were a blatant violation of the ceasefire in Greater Idlib, which was put in place by Russia and Turkey more than two years ago. Ankara deployed large forces in the Syrian region to monitor the ceasefire.

Also on January 11, Ahrar al-Sham militants attacked an SAA position in an unspecified part of the western Aleppo countryside. The group said that eight Syrian soldiers were killed in the attack. However, these claims are yet to be verified.

Both HTS and Ahrar al-Sham are currently in an unannounced alliance, which indicate that the attacks were coordinated.

The two groups are likely trying to sabotage the Russian-sponsored rapprochement process between Ankara and Damascus by stirring up tensions in northern Syria. These attempts will not likely affect the process.

An important meeting between the foreign ministers of Syria and Turkey will reportedly be held in a few days. Moreover, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan have already voiced his readiness to meet with his Syrian counterpart, President Bashar al-Assad, later this year.

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