Ansar al-Tawhid serves Erdogan’s interests in Syria

Ayah Ezz

A terrorist group, so-called Ansar al-Tawhid, has been the center of attention on the Syrian political scene following a US the airstrike in which a number of the group’s leaders were killed a few days ago.

The US airstrike targeted a two-story building used by Ansar al-Tawhid in the north of the Syrian city of Idlib.

Ansar al-Tawhid is an offshoot of Jund al-Aqsa, which was founded by a terrorist named Abu Abdul Aziz al-Qatari in 2012. Al-Qatari was mysteriously killed in 2014.

Ansar al-Tawhid was formed by Abu Ziab Sarmin in Idlib in March 2018. The terrorist group comprises around 350 fighters and it is active in Sarmin, Nayrab and the mountains of Lattakia.

In October 2018, Ansar al-Tawhid joined forces with Hurras al-Deen, Ansar al-Deen Front and Ansar al-Islam Front terrorist operations targeting on the northern rural areas of Latakia and the western parts of Hama.

Two months ago, Ansar al-Tawhid opposed Turkey over the peace talks held between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin over a safe zone in Idlib.

At that time, Ansar al-Tawhid said in a statement saying that the group was banned from carrying out any attacks. However, that statement was released at the request of Turkey, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

However, Turkey has allowed Ansar al-Tawhid to fight only under Abu Mohamed al-Julani, leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham.