The militants of Hay’at Tahrir Al-Sham launched a large-scale security operation in the Idlib Governorate on Friday, August 3.

According to pro-opposition activists, Hay’at Tahrir Al-Sham’s security operation targeted several towns in southern Idlib that are believed to have Syrian Arab Army (SAA) spies and people that have contacted the government for reconciliation, AL-Masdar News says.

Hay’at Tahrir Al-Sham released a statement on Friday that claimed their security forces "arrested at least 17 people" inside the towns of Khan Sheikhoun and Madaya.

The HTS report stated that these 17 people are "under investigation", adding that they will not allow what happened in Daraa to happen in Idlib.

The militants in the Idlib Governorate have been increasing the number of security operations inside Idlib, following reports of the Syrian Arab Army amassing troops near the Al-Ghaab Plain and northern Hama.