BY KHALED ISKEF
Hay’et Tahrir al-Sham (Nusra Front) Thursday attacked Kafar Takharim village in Idlib western countryside on the background of popular movements against the recent non-humanitarian acts by the gunmen of Hay’et Tahrir al-Sham during the past few months.
Nusra Front attacked Kafar Takharim from all directions, using many mortar shells, missiles, and machine guns although all the village inhabitants are civilians.
The attack claimed the lives of two people and wounded tens of others when the inhabitants attempted to prevent the advancement of Nusra Front vehicles into the village.
Hay’et Tahrir al-Sham attack came after a deadline it gave to the village inhabitants to deliver some people who participated in protests against Hay’et Tahrir al-Sham as well as all points where Hay’et Tahrir al-Sham members were expelled from such as the police station and northern and eastern checkpoints. The deadline was conveyed to the inhabitants through the so-called “Shoura Council” of Kafar Takharim. However, the inhabitants refused to respond to the deadline and kept preventing the Nusra Front from entering their village.
In the attack, Nusra Front could break into Kafar Takharim and enter parts of it again, forcing many inhabitants to flee away to avoid the expected revenge from Hay’et Tahrir al-Sham against them.
These events directly impacted all Idlib villages and towns as tens of demonstrators protested against Nusra Front acts in support of Kafar Takharim inhabitants. Nusra Front responded with attacks on demonstrators in various Idlib areas.
It is worth noting that Kafar Takharim inhabitants rejected several acts of Nusra Front, especially the increase of taxes and coercive theft from civilians by force of arms that members of “Zakat Committees” of Nusra Front exercised on civilians let alone constant kidnaps of young men. All of the tensions pushed inhabitants to stage large demonstrations that developed into clashes using light weapons with Nusra Front members who had to withdraw from the village due to the popular pressure.
