BEIRUT, Jan 17 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Intense fighting between pro-government forces and jihadist-led fighters in Syria’s Idlib province killed at least 39 fighters overnight, a war monitor said.
Government and allied forces took two villages in their advance towards
the key town of Maaret al-Numan, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.
Meanwhile, rebels launched a counter-offensive in the eastern countryside of the Idlib Governorate Thursday afternoon, as they attempted to retake the areas they lost to the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) Wednesday.
Led by Hay’at Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) and the so-called “Syrian National Army” (SNA), the rebels began their counter-assault by storming the Syrian Army’s defenses at the town of Abu Jarif.
Not long after launching the attack, the rebels were able to retake Abu Jarif from the Syrian Army, as the latter was unable to secure the town since they captured it Wednesday night.
The rebels are now working to retake three other areas they lost to the Syrian Arab Army.
On Wednesday evening, the Syrian Arab Army launched a powerful attack at two axes in eastern Idlib; this would result in the capture of four towns from the rebels. — NNN-AGENCIES
