Fatah Army on Wednesday announced a major offensive on two Shiite-dominated villages in the northern province of Idlib after two years of siege, according to statement posted online by the rebel group.
The powerful alliance of Islamist groups said the new battle is in support and solidarity with rebels of Zabadani, Fatha Army said, in order to ease two week of bombardment by Syrian army and allied Hezbollah militia on the Syrian border city with Lebanon.
The new battle on al-Fou’a and Kefraya villages is a clear response to the Syrian army brutality in Zabadani city, according to the statement.
Fatah Army warned of Zabadani fallout, saying we do not want to repeat the scenario of Qusayr when Bashar al-Assad forces and Hezbollah captured the city in May 2013.
Army of Fatah, a reference to the conquests that spread Islam across the Middle East from the seventh century, has seized swathes of territory northern Syrian since late of March 2015 including Idlib city, Ariha and Jisr al-Shughour.
On Wednesday, regime army backed by Hezbollah has advanced deeper into the besieged Syrian city of Zabadani two weeks into a campaign to capture it from insurgents, Reuters said.
Rebels contacted by phone told Reuters although they had lost some ground in parts of the city in the last few days, they have so far repulsed advances deeper inside their stronghold.
"They have now secured what they want...any more advances would be very costly in human terms for them," said Abu Abdo, a field commander from the Ahrar al-Sham insurgent group.
The control of the city, about 45 km (30 miles) northwest of the capital Damascus, is seen as crucial to consolidate government-held areas linking Lebanon and Syria. Zabadani is a former popular resort on the main Beirut-Damascus highway.
Syria's four-year-old war has killed more than 230,000 people and forced millions out of their homes.
The powerful alliance of Islamist groups said the new battle is in support and solidarity with rebels of Zabadani, Fatha Army said, in order to ease two week of bombardment by Syrian army and allied Hezbollah militia on the Syrian border city with Lebanon.
The new battle on al-Fou’a and Kefraya villages is a clear response to the Syrian army brutality in Zabadani city, according to the statement.
Fatah Army warned of Zabadani fallout, saying we do not want to repeat the scenario of Qusayr when Bashar al-Assad forces and Hezbollah captured the city in May 2013.
Army of Fatah, a reference to the conquests that spread Islam across the Middle East from the seventh century, has seized swathes of territory northern Syrian since late of March 2015 including Idlib city, Ariha and Jisr al-Shughour.
On Wednesday, regime army backed by Hezbollah has advanced deeper into the besieged Syrian city of Zabadani two weeks into a campaign to capture it from insurgents, Reuters said.
Rebels contacted by phone told Reuters although they had lost some ground in parts of the city in the last few days, they have so far repulsed advances deeper inside their stronghold.
"They have now secured what they want...any more advances would be very costly in human terms for them," said Abu Abdo, a field commander from the Ahrar al-Sham insurgent group.
The control of the city, about 45 km (30 miles) northwest of the capital Damascus, is seen as crucial to consolidate government-held areas linking Lebanon and Syria. Zabadani is a former popular resort on the main Beirut-Damascus highway.
Syria's four-year-old war has killed more than 230,000 people and forced millions out of their homes.
Zaman Al Wasl
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