A Syrian government fighter pilot captured by an armed opposition group
Idlib – North-Press Agency
Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) in Idlib and its vicinity have captured a Syrian government fighter pilot, whose fighter jet was shot down yesterday afternoon in the southern countryside of Idlib, in coincidence with the Syrian government forces advance in the area, amid ongoing military operations and intensified bombardment.
In the early morning hours of Thursday, HTS captured a Syrian government lieutenant, after a long search for him in agricultural fields in the southern Idlib countryside, while the fate of the other pilot is still unknown.
The Syrian government forces launched an attack on the north of its last line of advance in the southern countryside of Idlib, and managed to take control over the village of Abdeen and its surrounding fields in northwestern Khan Shaykhun, after fierce clashes between HTS, the Islamic Turkistan Party and other armed opposition groups, according to North-Press reporter.
This advance was accompanied by a progress towards the village of Madaya, where clashes are still going on, in an attempt by the Syrian government forces to impose its control, as they seek to fully besiege Khan Shaykhun by avoiding a street war inside the city.
The Syrian government forces shelled areas in the town of Jidaria in the southern countryside of Idlib. While the opposition groups targeted military vehicles and positions of the Syrian government forces in and around Tal Aas and in the southern countryside of Idlib, causing human casualties.
During the last 24 hours, North-Press reported the death of 12 people and the injury of more than 33 others due to the Russian and Syrian airstrikes on Maarat al-Numan, Bisaqla, Kafr Nabl, Karsaa, Khan Shaykhun, Bidama, Kafr Roma, and Sheikh Dames in the southern countryside of Idlib.