Assad army 'retakes all rebel positions in Latakia'

 The regime army has recaptured all rebel-held positions in Latakia, President Bashar al-Assad's home province, state-run SANA news agency reported Monday quoting a military source to AFP.

"The army retook control of the Nabi Ashia mountain range and adjoining areas in the north of Latakia province," the source said, of villages seized in early August by rebels trying to topple Assad.

On Sunday state television reported that the army had reclaimed rebel-held villages in the coastal province, hinterland of Assad's minority Alawite community.

A Syrian security force, however, told AFP the army still had to recapture the Salma region, a strategic area along the border with Turkey that has been in rebel hands since the end of last year.

Rebels positioned in remote enclaves in Latakia's mountains launched the "battle for the liberation of the Syrian coast" about two weeks ago.

They quickly captured a dozen Alawite villages near Qordaha, home town of Assad's later father and long-time president Hafez al-Assad.

Rebel Free Syrian Army chief of staff Selim Idriss on August 11 toured one of the towns captured by the rebels, in a morale-boosting visit for the fighters.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the "army has made progress" in Latakia province, but could not confirm that it had recaptured all the villages seized by the rebels.

The Britain-based Observatory said that rebel fighters on Sunday shot down a military plane over Salma.

"The pilot bailed out but was later captured, most likely by insurgents," said the watchdog which relies on a wide network of militants, medics and military sources on the ground.

 Days ago, Mo'taz Shaklab, prominent opposition activist told Zaman Alwasl after his visit to the rebel-held areas in Latakia, ''If we don't want to see another 'Qusayr' we have to supply the Rebels of Latakia mountains with arms and fighters, the Regime army is advancing, it dominated two villages were under rebels' control,  The fighters of Free Syrian Army FSA are alone without any support, the Assad warplanes hit the rebels strongholds by the explosive barrels where no Anti-aircrafts missile are existed or developed rockets, Shaklab said.

Mustafa al-Sakhta, the representative of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in the main Opposition group warned of neglecting the rebels calls for arms and ammunition  to keep fighting in the frontlines of the Latakia , ''we were born in this coastal land we know more than you, we need to arm the rebels.''

 Six days ago, the military commander of Syria's main Western-backed opposition group visited rebels in the coastal province that is President Bashar Assad's ancestral homeland following recent opposition advances in the area, a spokeswoman according to AP.

Sakhta have criticized the performance of the coalition saying the opposition were busy by small interest while Homs was pounding everyday by Assad's mortar bombers and Heavy artillery and Air raids.

 Sakhta has assured in his message the values of coexistence and joint living with all citizens of Latakia province.

In recent months, there have been a rising number of clashes between al-Qaida-linked factions and more moderate opposition brigades. The infighting has undermined the opposition's overall effort to topple the Assad regime.

Despite their ideological differences, Islamic extremist groups and more secular-minded rebels also frequently coordinate their efforts when its suits them and there is a mutual benefit.

That has been the case in Latakia, activists say, where more moderate rebel groups fighting alongside al-Qaida-linked jihadi factions, including the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, captured 11 Alawite villages.

  The real death toll in the Syrian war could be more than 200,000 people, a pro-opposition watchdog group said Saturday, as it provided a latest count that matched that of the UN. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said it had documented the deaths of more than 106,000 people, but warned that the real toll could be twice as high. The United Nations said in July that more than 100,000 have been killed in Syria since March 2011.

(With Agencies)