SITE Intel Group – HTS News in Syria – September 5-11, 2018 SITE Intelliene eely eport HTS ES I SRI

SITEINTELGROUP.COM September 5-11, 20181 SITE Intel Group – HTS News in Syria – September 5-11, 2018

Table of Contents

HIGHLIGHTS: SEPTEMBER 5-11, 2018 3

FEATURED ARTICLE 3 Airstrikes by Russia and Syria 3

HTS OPERATIONS 4

HTS Operations Against IS 4 Aleppo 4 Idlib 5

HTS Operations Against SAA 5 Aleppo 5 Hama 5

HTS MEDIA 6 Compilation Video of HTS Operations 6 HTS Command Meeting 6 Training Camp 7 Malhama Tactical 7 Maintaining Position 7 Aleppo 7 Hama 7 Idlib 7 Lattakia 8 Demonstrations Against the Syrian Regime 8

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2 SITE Intel Group – HTS News in Syria – September 5-11, 2018

HIGHLIGHTS: SEPTEMBER 5-11, 2018

FEATURED ARTICLE: Russia and Syria have maintained their airstrike surge on the Idlib region.

HTS OPERATIONS: Three operations against IS in Aleppo and Idlib; two operations against SAA in Aleppo and Hama.

HTS MEDIA: HTS military commanders held a meeting; Malhama Tactical training camp video; fortification and maintenance of fighting positions; Friday demonstrations against the regime.

FEATURED ARTICLE

AIRSTRIKES BY RUSSIA AND SYRIA

• Starting September 4, 2018, the Russian and Syrian Air Forces implemented a significant increase in airstrikes on the Idlib region in anticipation of an offensive there. Ebaa reported an upsurge in Russian airstrikes on the morning of Friday, September 7 and by the Syrian regime on Saturday, September 8. Airstrikes targeted towns in the Idlib, Hama, and Aleppo countryside. • Towns targeted according to Ebaa reports: • Hama: Kafr Zita, al-Lataminah, and al-Sayyad. • .Idlib: Hobait, Tel Aas, Sararif, Kafr Ein, al-Tah, al-Khawain, al-Salihiyah, Hish, Tel Aas, Hass, Qalaat al-Madiq, al-Huwaiz, al-Sharia, and Khan Shaykhun.

AL-SAYYAD, HAMA: EXPLOSION DURING A RUSSIAN AIR RAID. KHAN SHAYKHUN, IDLIB: RUSSIAN HELICOPTER DROPPING A (PUBLISHED SEPT. 7) BOMB. (PUBLISHED SEPT. 8) • Following the barrage of Syrian and Russian airstrikes on the Idlib area on Tuesday, September 4, Ebaa posted several reports on the destruction and casualties caused by the bombings in western Idlib and the al-Ghab Plain.

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EBAA NETWORK: INFOGRAPHIC TRANSLATION:

New Massacres in the Western Idlib Countryside and al-Ghab Plain

Locations Targeted Including:

Muhambal, Baydar Shamsu, Anb, Frikeh, Jisr Shughur, al-Shaghr, Jadraya, al-Badria, Sahen, Sararif, al-Janudiyah, Sirmaniyah

27 Raids by Warplanes

10 Martyrs

20 Wounded

Also targeted were 4 schools and dozens of buildings

HTS OPERATIONS

This week HTS claimed three operations against IS in Aleppo and Idlib in which they reportedly arrested two high ranking local IS leaders. They also claimed two operations against the Syrian regime in Aleppo and Hama, however, neither Ebaa or HTS provided photos or videos of either.

HTS OPERATIONS AGAINST IS

ALEPPO • On September 6, HTS’ “security apparatus” claimed the arrest of a prominent IS leader, Abu Assem al-Rafa, in an ambush in the village of Kafr Taal, west of Aleppo.

EBAA NETWORK: PHOTO REPORT ON ABU ASSEM AL-RAFA’S ARREST. (PUBLISHED SEPT. 6) 4 SITE Intel Group – HTS News in Syria – September 5-11, 2018

IDLIB • On September 10, HTS claimed the arrest of senior IS leader, Abu Hamza al-Masri, the “governor” of Hama. HTS’ “security apparatus” claimed the capture of al-Masri occurred while he attempted to cross into Turkey from the Atme area, north of Idlib. HTS further claims that al-Masri was responsible for IS fighters crossing from the eastern Hama countryside to the Rahjan area and for the coordination of attacks on HTS fighters.

IDLIB: PICTURE OF ARRESTED IS LEADER, ABU HAMZA AL-MASRI. (PUBLISHED SEPT. 10) • Also on September 10, HTS claimed its “security apparatus” arrested IS fighters who had kidnapped civilians from the eastern countryside of Maara, south of Idlib. The hostages reportedly were held on a farm with the intention of extorting their families in exchange for their release. HTS claimed to have found one abductee during the operation, Mehdi Hassan al-Obeid, a displaced person from the village of al-Zafariah, south of Sinjar in the southern Idlib countryside. In an interview with Ebaa, al-Obeid stated IS took him from his house in Abu Makkah, east of Jarjnaz, and had negotiated his release in exchange for $10,000 from his family.

IDLIB: PICTURE OF MEHDI HASSAN AL-OBEID, A FORMER IS HOSTAGE. (PUBLISHED SEPT. 10)

HTS OPERATIONS AGAINST SAA

ALEPPO • On September 11, Ebaa reported that HTS had confirmed the destruction of a Syrian regime tank and the deaths of its crew in the village of al-Wasitah, south of Aleppo by targeting it with an anti-tank missile. HAMA • Ebaa reported an HTS claim on September 8 that its fighters responded to the airstrikes by targeting Syrian military barracks and headquarters of “Shabiha” towns and villages in the Hama countryside including Mahardah, the Jurin camp, and al-Suqaylabiyah. 5 SITE Intel Group – HTS News in Syria – September 5-11, 2018

HTS MEDIA

This week, Malhama Tactical, an HTS affiliate, released a video from its training camp. HTS brought “delegations” from the local communities to its “military” positions in the Idlib, Lattakia, and Hama areas as part of its “popular support campaign of the Murabitun [those on the front lines].” On Friday, September 7, there was a second round of demonstrations in the Idlib area. Ebaa reported that the protests were in “support of the mujahideen.” For the first time, pictures depicted women taking part in the demonstrations.

COMPILATION VIDEO OF HTS OPERATIONS

• Ebaa published a compilation video of past “security operations” in the “liberated north” conducted by HTS depicting the arrest of “reconciliation” promoters with the Syrian regime as well as claimed IS members. The video showed fighters preparing and participating in operations as well as an unidentified deceased individual from an operation likely to be an alleged IS fighter.

HTS’ FIGHTERS ON A “SECURITY OPERATION.” A DECEASED ALLEGED IS FIGHTER.

HTS COMMAND MEETING

• In photos shared on September 11, HTS military and field commanders met to “discuss the latest developments on the military front.” Below are two of the photos:

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TRAINING CAMP

MALHAMA TACTICAL • Malhama Tactical, an Uzbek group affiliated with HTS, posted a video of a training session of its fighters on September 10 in the Idlib area.

MAINTAINING POSITION

ALEPPO • .On September 11, Ebaa published photos of HTS fighters at their position north of Aleppo as well as an aspect of “Murabitun life” with fighters seen reading Qurans.

HAMA • A “union of peasants” delegation was depicted in an Ebaa video on September 5 visiting HTS’ positions in the northern Hama countryside as part of a “popular support campaign of the Murabitun.” IDLIB • On September 8, Ebaa published pictures depicting the fortification of HTS’ points in the eastern Idlib countryside.

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• .Ebaa posted pictures of HTS’ “steadfast” position in the southern Idlib countryside on September 10. Fighters are depicted surveying the area and carrying weapons.

LATTAKIA • On September 9, Ebaa published pictures of a “council of dignitaries” from Jisr al-Shughur visiting HTS positions in Kobani, north of Lattakia. The pictures below feature the “dignitaries” surveying the position and meeting with HTS fighters.

DEMONSTRATIONS

• For the second week in a row, there were coordinated demonstrations after Friday prayers in the Idlib region on September 7. Ebaa reported the protests were “in support of the mujahideen” and the “continuation of the revolution and the fight against the criminal regime and the Russian occupation.” Signs held by protestors were in Arabic, English, and Russian.

8 SITE Intel Group – HTS News in Syria – September 5-11, 2018

• For the first time during these protests, pictures exhibited a group of women dressed in black burqas, some with red bands, participating in the demonstration in Idlib. One of the women can be seen holding a sign saying: “Our revolutionaries if you see our carnage and corpses, do not come back until you are victorious. The people of Idlib City.”

• Ebaa reported that demonstrations took place in the following towns and cities: Idlib, Kafr Nabl, Khan Shaykhun, Kansafra, Harem, Saraqib, Sarmada, Jisr al-Shughur, Haritan, Kafr Oweid, al-Dana, Ariha, Armanaz, al-Zirbah, and Maarrat al-Nu’man.

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