Syrian government forces, supported by the Russian forces, advance in southern Idlib
Idlib – North-Press Agency
The Syrian government forces managed to impose their control over several villages and towns in Idlib’s eastern and southeastern countryside, after heavy aerial bombardment by the Russian and Syrian government warplanes on positions of the armed opposition groups in the region of Idlib, north-west of Syria. While the city of Marat al-Numan and the surrounding villages have witnessed a massive displacement movement towards the Syrian-Turkish borders.
The axes clashes on Idlib fronts witnessed intensive aerial and ground bombardment by the Russian and Syrian government warplanes, upon which the Syrian government forces were able to advance and control the village of Um Jalal, southeast of Idlib, and Sharat al-Ijaz, al-Khriba, Barnan, Rabia, in Idlib’s eastern countryside, according to the Syrian observatory for Human Rights, and social media accounts loyal to the Syrian armed opposition groups.
The village of Um Jalal in Idlib’s southern countryside is considered as a strategic point, as it rules the surrounding villages and towns, which helps to Syrian government forces to control its surroundings. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitored the continued aerial and ground bombardment on Idlib countryside at a violent pace, as Syrian forces targeted the areas of al-Tah, Tal al-Sheh, Sahal, Um Tina and al-Farajah in Idlib’s eastern and southeastern countryside, amid air strikes launched by the Russian warplanes last night and this morning on locations in the vicinity of the town of Saraqeb and the city of Maarat al-Numan.
Moreover, the fighting continues on several axes in Idlib’s eastern and southeastern areas, while the city of Maarat al-Numan is witnessing a wave of displacement due to the Syrian and Russian military escalation. The pro-government newspaper al-Watan, has quoted on Thursday, a Syrian military source as saying that the Syrian forces had begun a large-scale bombardment campaign on the eastern countryside of Marat al-Numan and Saraqeb, “in an effort to launch a military operation, apparently to reach the M5 highway that links Hama with Aleppo,” the news paper wrote.
The strategic city of Maarat al-Numan in Idlib’s southern countryside is located on the M5 highway as it links the governorates of Aleppo and Hama, and its control contributes to imposing a siege on the center of Idlib governorate, in the event of launching a military operation by the Syrian government to restore control over Idlib region.