Violent clashes after Syrian government attempts to advance in southern Idlib

Clashes erupted yesterday, Monday, between Syrian government forces and armed opposition groups after the former attempted to advance in the southern countryside of Idlib, in conjunction with the opposition’s downing of a Syrian reconnaissance aircraft.

A field source told North-Press that Syrian government forces tried to advance on the Ruweiha front in the southern Idlib countryside, leading to deaths and injuries among the government forces after violent clashes.

The two sides exchanged heavy weapons fire after the failure of the government forces’ attack on the armed opposition groups.

The source added that the opposition downed a Syrian reconnaissance aircraft in the airspace over al-Ghab Plain after targeting it with small arms fire.

In a related development, government forces are still continuously targeting locations of armed opposition groups in Jabal al-Zawiya in the southern Idlib countryside.

Meanwhile, Russian and Syrian reconnaissance aircraft continue to fly over the de-escalation zones.

The Idlib countryside has witnessed a military escalation since the beginning of May, while Turkish forces continue to bring reinforcements to the de-escalation zone through the Kafr Lossin crossing north of Idlib.