Syrian rebels take three villages from regime forces in Idlib

(Zaman Al Wasl)- Syrian rebels on Saturday have taken control of three villages from regime forces in northern Idlib province after a major attack left 13 troops killed, military sources said.

The National Liberation Front has ambushed the regime forces near the town of Tal Dam east of Idlib city, killing 6 troops while seven more troops were killed near Sanjar town.

In their turn, Latakia rebels has also thwarted four incursion attempts by regime forces and Shiiite militias on Kabana hilltops, killing 18 troops and destroying two tanks.

The regime army has been pressing to take a strategic territory located between Idlib and Latakia province to cut the main supply route and to weaken the unprecedented resistance by rebels.

According to Syria Response Coordinators Team, at least 61,229 people have been displaced in Idlib since the beginning of November.

Bashar al-Assad, who now controls around 60 percent of the country, has vowed to reclaim the rest, including Idlib and small pockets in Latakia.

Rebels and jihadists have killed more than 130,000 pro-regime forces since the armed conflict erupted eight years ago with the brutal repression of protests against Bashar al-Assad, according to local monitoring groups.

Regime forces captured the village of Msheirfeh from rebels last Sunday after clashes that left more than a dozen killed on both sides.

Al-Assad forces launched a blistering military campaign against Idlib in April, killing around 1,000 civilians and displacing more than 400,000 people from their homes.

A ceasefire announced by Russia has largely held since late August, although dozens of civilians have been killed in sporadic bombardment since then.

Last month, Assad said Idlib was standing in the way of an end to the civil war that has ravaged his country through most of the current decade.

Eight years of war in Syria have killed 560,000 people and driven half the pre-war population of 22 million from their homes, including more than 6 million as refugees to neighbouring countries.

Zaman Al Wasl