Islamist rebels on Wednesday have recaptured strategic village of Dorien in coastal Latakia province, days since the strategic area was seized by Syrian regime forces, activists said.
Fighters of Ahrar al-Sham movement and Nusra Front backed by rebel factions have launched a surprise attack on Wednesday on Dorien village what enable them to recapture the village in hours, achieving one of the fastest gains in months, activists reported.
According to al-Araby al-Jadeed newspaper, rebels’ retreat from Dorien days ago was necessary to save the lives of fighters and allow them to regroup behind a much stronger line of defence in Salma town.
Aqeel Juma, commander of the FSA's Nasr Brigade told al-Araby al-Jadeed that "Dorien didn't fall in a day, but over the course of two years of heavy bombardment and an exhaustion of resources.”
The balance of power in the coastal region will shift in the next couple of days, he predicted, and that the FSA and other opposition groups will shift their tactics to "unconventional warfare".
This is what led to the rebels' success in Latakia during the early days of the war, and Juma believes this tactic will help the opposition capture more land in the regime's heartland.
Syria's war has killed more than 210,000 people, and forced half the population to flee their homes.
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