The Siwar Idlib Brigade is one of the groups that resist the attacks of the Turkish occupation forces and their mercenaries of the so-called Syrian National Army (SNA) in the area around al-Bab. The commander of the brigade organized as part of Jabhat al-Akrad in the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), Muhammed Nur, has expressed his views on current developments to the ANHA news agency. He reported that the brigade started the fight seven years ago at Mount Zawiya. "We took up arms to protect our country and our village from the occupiers and went into the mountains," he recalls.

"This land is our land"

Nur says that the Turkish state is using the armed groups in Idlib in its interests: "The Islamist groups believe the Turkish state supports them. Those who were not willing to fight for him have been expelled from Idlib. Today we protect our country from Turkish occupation. This land belongs to us, not to the Turkish state."

The Siwar Idlib Brigade has its roots in the armed opposition and joined the Jabhat al-Akrad alliance, a part of the SDF, in 2018. The brigade, which has participated in many different struggles in Syria, played an important role in the resistance of Afrin and Shehba in particular. The majority of them are fighters in Idlib, but they also have fighters in Raqqa, Tabqa, Manbij, Shehba and al-Bab.

"The Turkish state has diverted the revolution in Syria from its goal"

Abdulkarim Cad is one of the front commanders of the brigade. He says that the war in Idlib brings no benefit to the peoples of Syria, that Turkey diverted the revolution in Syria from its goal. Regarding the meaning of the SDF, he says: "The SDF is fighting to realize the hopes of the peoples. The SDF is the only force that really stands up for the peoples of Syria. They are the only ones who resist the Turkish occupation in Idlib, Afrin and the other cities of Syria against the Turkish state.”