DAMASCUS, Syria, May 12 (NNN-SANA) – The Syrian army, on Saturday, entered the administrative border of the northwestern province of Idlib and captured two towns, the War Media of the Syrian army reported.
The army captured the towns of Arimeh and Midan Ghazal after battles with the al-Qaeda-linked Nusra Front, the report said.
The army also targeted the rebels’ positions in the city of Khan Sheikhun and Ihsem in the southern countryside of Idlib.
Almost two weeks ago, the army started an operation against the rebels in the northern countryside of Hama province, in central Syria and the nearby Idlib province.
Idlib is of significance as it is the last major rebel stronghold in Syria.
Earlier in the day, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said that, heavy air strikes and shelling targeted rebels’ positions in the northern countryside of Hama province and the nearby countryside of Idlib province, as part of an ongoing Russian-backed campaign.
The Russian and Syrian war planes started the 12th day of escalation with air strikes and ground shelling on rebel positions in northern Hama and the southern countryside of Idlib, the observatory said. The air strikes renewed after midnight Saturday.
The report said, the Syrian army made progress and captured key areas from the rebels of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the umbrella group of the al-Qaeda-linked Nusra Front.
Areas in the countryside of Hama, Idlib and the western countryside of Aleppo are included in the deescalation zones deal, which was reached between Russia and Turkey in Sept, 2018.
The deal failed to materialise as the HTS expanded in Idlib and started attacks on Syrian military positions, instead of withdrawing from the designated zone, which combines Idlib with Hama and Aleppo countryside.– NNN-SANA
