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A hardline Islamist militia withdrew some of its forces Wednesday and Thursday from the northwest Syrian city of and its surrounding areas - but allied groups remain in the area, military sources have °®Âþµº's Arabic-language sister site.

(HTS) withdrew some of its troops from the Afrin area after Turkey, which backs the "Syrian National Army (SNA)" militia umbrella group,Ìýimposed a deadline on the group to do so, sources from the SNA's Third Corps Al-Araby Al-Jadeed.

Some HTS fighters and military police remain in AfrinÌýas part of a joint administration agreement reached last week, the sources said.

Also remaining in place are Turkish-backed factions that have fought alongside the HTS,Ìýincluding the Suleiman Shah Division, the Hamza Division, andÌý.

HTS has fought deadly clashes with SNA fighters in recent weeks after HTSÌý and surrounding areas. At least 58 people were killed, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR).

The warring parties agreed to a last week that included HTS withdrawals from the area - but clashes soon resumed between the two groups, with HTS to take areas between the cities of Afrin and Azaz.

Fighting has died down since Turkey demanded HTS withdrawals, the SNA sources said.

The Syrian rebels are fragmented into a myriad of different groups, with HTS, a hardline Islamist group previously affiliated to Al-Qaeda, dominating most of Idlib province, while Turkish-backed groups control Azaz, Al-Bab and other cities near the Syrian-Turkish border.

Both the HTS and the SNA have been accused ofÌýÌýin northern Syria, including indiscriminate shelling and kidnappings.