The Syrian Army has uncovered a stash of weapons and ammunition hidden by militants before their retreat from the southern Idlib countryside, including components of an anti-aircraft gun, rocket launchers, tanks, armoured troop transports, rockets and mortar shells, and the remnants of what appears to be Turkish-made drone, SANA has reported.
The news agency but posted multiple photos of part of the haul.
The weapons are said to have been discovered during an ongoing operation to secure areas recently liberated from the jihadists, which includes combing the area for hidden weapons stocks, and finding potential booby traps and mines, with the precautions taken before locals are allowed to return to their communities.
The Turkish military has not commented on SANA’s report. Ankara is known to have used drones in Syria on a large scale in February and March after tensions between Turkish and Syrian forces turned into an active shooting war over a Syrian offensive aimed at liberating its northwestern province from Turkish-backed militants.
Tensions subsided somewhat in early March after Russia and Turkey agreed to a ceasefire, but began escalating again in early May as jihadists began shelling towns in Idlib, Latakia and Aleppo with rocket and mortar fire.