Syrian government forces trying to restore an HTS-controlled strategic town in Idlib

North-Press Agency

Battle fronts in Idlib southeastern countryside witness violent clashes between the Syrian government forces and the militants of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham HTS (previously al-Qaeda’s affiliate in Syria Jabhat al-Nusra),after the latter took control over a strategic village in Idlib countryside, amid attempts by the government forces to retake the strategic area.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that violent clashes between the Syrian government forces and the HTS in axes in Idlib southern countryside, as the Syrian forces carried out an attack in order to regain control over al-Katiba al-Mahjoura village, which it was lost yesterday. The attack was accompanied by intensive bombing by the Syrian government forces on positions of HTS in the villages of al-Rafa, al-Halba, al-Sarj, Karsanta and Abu Makki in Idlib eastern countryside, which resulted in deaths and injuries on both sides.

As the Syrian government forces withdrew yesterday from al-Katiba al-Mahjoura village near Um al-Tina and its strategic hill in Idlib southeastern countryside, after a surprise attack launched by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham on the positions of the government forces to impose its control over the village. While, Syrian government warplanes launched raids on the town of Jarjanaz and the village of Um al-Tina in the eastern countryside of Marat al-Numan, in addition to dropping barrel bombs on al-Kabenah axis in al-Akrad Mountain, in Latakia’s northeastern countryside.

The Syrian forces also carried out a ground shelling of villages and towns in Idlib countryside and al-Ghab plain, while the armed opposition groups responded by bombing the axis of Madaya in Idlib southern countryside, the western axis of Abu al-Duhour and Idlib’s eastern countryside with heavy artillery.

In the context of the escalation in Idlib, the Russian Envoy for Syria, Alexander Lavrentiev, said on the sidelines of Astana Meeting, that Turkey had not succeeded in separating the armed opposition groups from Hayat Tahrir al-Sham in Idlib, and that they have warned about the danger of the spread of "terrorists" in the region. He also stressed the need of the Syrian government’s control over the region. While Syria's permanent delegate to the United Nations and its envoy to Astana Meetings, Bashar Jaafari, stressed that there is no calm on Idlib fronts until being freed out of terrorists.