Fighting in Syria’s long-contested Idlib Province has slowed down in recent days, but all sides involved are using it as an opportunity to send more reinforcements and military assets into the area, anticipating the next round of fighting.



The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says that Syrian forces are being sent into the area with an eye toward contested the key highway to Aleppo, which is in parts still held by al-Qaeda.



But they aren’t the only ones. Russia, anticipating supporting a renewed Syrian offensive, is bringing some military forces into the area, as well as mobile clinics and ammunition depots in the area.



On top of that, Turkey is also sending reinforcements into Maarat-Numaan, a key rebel-held town on the edge of Idlib. The intention here is clearly to prevent the Syrian/Russian offensive from taking their allies’ territory.



Turkey’s rebels aren’t directly aligned with al-Qaeda, but they also aren’t fighting, and during times of Syrian offensives, Turkey tends to support whoever Syria is fighting.



Author: Jason Ditz Jason Ditz is news editor of Antiwar.com. View all posts by Jason Ditz