Russia sending strong messages to Turkey by bombing Sham Legion premises

Aya Ezz

Russia has bombed the headquarters of Sham Legion in Syria, sending a strong message to Turkey.

Sham Legion is an important component of what is known as the National Army which is backed by Ankara.

Russian fighter jets staged an airstrike on the headquarters of the legion in the northwestern Syrian town of Kafr Takharim, leading to the death of some members of Sham Legion, the London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

It added that a number of organization members were also wounded in the attack.

Turkish fears

The legion is so close to Turkey, the Observatory said.

The members of the legion also accompany the joint Turkish-Russian patrols on the Aleppo – Latakia Highway. The joint patrols were one of the most outstanding components of the Sochi agreement signed by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The strike against the headquarters of Sham Legion is the first against a militia backed by Turkey after the signing of the Sochi agreement.

There are Turkish fears now from potential attacks against Turkish troops deployed in Syria, especially in Idlib.

Russian messages

The strike against the headquarters of Sham Legion is the second by Russia in areas controlled by the Syrian opposition in three days.

The strikes carry a number of messages Russia wants to deliver to Turkey, according to Omran Center for Strategic Studies which is based in Syria.

The center pointed to the presence of differences between Turkey and Russia, especially after the latest Turkish interference in the conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

Russia wants to send threats to Erdogan by striking the headquarters of a faction backed by Ankara, the center said.