Assad uses airborne leaflets to threaten civilians in Idlib

Regime helicopters have started dropping flyers at various points in Syria’s opposition-held Idlib to threaten civilians. The propaganda warns, “Lay down your arms and collaborate with Assad!”

The Assad regime and its Iran-backed Shia militia’ allies have already started to harass southern Idlib and speeded up its military deployments, dispatching dozens of troops, tanks, armored vehicles, missile-launching platforms and Iran-backed Shia militias along the Turkmen Mountain.

The regime has also used its propaganda leaflets in the areas of Dera, Homs and Ghouta which it has captured in the past few months.

On the other hand, last week, two Chinese diplomats raised the possibility of Chinese military operations in Syria’s Idlib alongside the Assad regime.

Idlib, located in northwestern Syria on the Turkish border, has faced intense attacks by the Bashar al-Assad regime after a vicious civil war broke out in 2011. Since March 2015, Idlib is no longer under the control of the Assad regime and has been overrun by opposition groups.

Turkey has stated that any attack on Idlib would result in the country withdrawing from the Astana talks and lead to a great disaster.

The Astana peace talks were launched on Jan. 23-24, 2017, with the aim of putting an end to violence and improving the humanitarian situation in war-torn Syria.