(Zaman Al Wasl)- Syrian rebels made remarkable gains in the coastal Latakia province, taking vast territory including strategic towns and hilltops in Jabal al-Akrad and Jabal al-Turkman areas after setback and retreat to regime favor last months.
Rebels' gain was a rare in Latakia since Russia intervened in the five-year Syrian conflict on the side of Bashar al-Assad last September.
Experts linked regime's retreat in the Assad heartland province with the revived relations between Russia and Turkey, saying Russia has lessen its support for Damascus what gives the upper hand for rebels in Latakia battles.
Moscow said Thursday it may negotiate Assad's future but not in the meantime.
Rebels seized the strategic town of Kansaba and and array of hilltops that overlook on Salma town.
The regime forces had captured Kansaba in February, part of a wider advance in Latakia's northern countryside at the time, backed by Russian air power.
Rebels, who launched 'al-Yarmouk Battle' early this week to recapture ground lost to regime favor months ago in Jabal al-Akrad and Jabal al-Turkman, have seized control of Ayn al-Qantra, Tellat al-Haddadeh and Wadi Basour, Tellat a-Malek, Tellat Rasha, al-Qermil, al-Hakoura and Mzeghla villages.
Fighting picked up again in the area after a ceasefire deal later that month brought a temporary lull. The truce has mostly unraveled throughout areas where it took effect in the west of the country.
The al Qaeda-affiliated Nusra Front was among the groups that retook Kansaba, which had previously been an important base for the insurgents. The town overlooks much of the mountainous Jabal Akrad area close to the Turkish border, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.
Nusra Front said in an online statement that an alliance of Islamist rebel groups including itself had captured Kansaba and a number of other villages, seizing several tanks and artillery guns.
Medical source told Zaman al-Wasl on Thursday that at least 113 Syrians troops had been killed and 300 more had been wounded in the ongoing battles in Jabal al-Akrad.
The source who works in Latakia's Health Directorate said the city's hospitals have been flooded with dead and wounded soldiers, numbers of casualties have been transferred to Tartus and Jableh hospitals. (With Reuters)
Rebels' gain was a rare in Latakia since Russia intervened in the five-year Syrian conflict on the side of Bashar al-Assad last September.
Experts linked regime's retreat in the Assad heartland province with the revived relations between Russia and Turkey, saying Russia has lessen its support for Damascus what gives the upper hand for rebels in Latakia battles.
Moscow said Thursday it may negotiate Assad's future but not in the meantime.
Rebels seized the strategic town of Kansaba and and array of hilltops that overlook on Salma town.
The regime forces had captured Kansaba in February, part of a wider advance in Latakia's northern countryside at the time, backed by Russian air power.
Rebels, who launched 'al-Yarmouk Battle' early this week to recapture ground lost to regime favor months ago in Jabal al-Akrad and Jabal al-Turkman, have seized control of Ayn al-Qantra, Tellat al-Haddadeh and Wadi Basour, Tellat a-Malek, Tellat Rasha, al-Qermil, al-Hakoura and Mzeghla villages.
Fighting picked up again in the area after a ceasefire deal later that month brought a temporary lull. The truce has mostly unraveled throughout areas where it took effect in the west of the country.
The al Qaeda-affiliated Nusra Front was among the groups that retook Kansaba, which had previously been an important base for the insurgents. The town overlooks much of the mountainous Jabal Akrad area close to the Turkish border, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.
Nusra Front said in an online statement that an alliance of Islamist rebel groups including itself had captured Kansaba and a number of other villages, seizing several tanks and artillery guns.
Medical source told Zaman al-Wasl on Thursday that at least 113 Syrians troops had been killed and 300 more had been wounded in the ongoing battles in Jabal al-Akrad.
The source who works in Latakia's Health Directorate said the city's hospitals have been flooded with dead and wounded soldiers, numbers of casualties have been transferred to Tartus and Jableh hospitals. (With Reuters)
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