Idlib: Syrian Army Tightens Noose on Terrorists in Khan Sheikhoun

The Syrian Army troops, backed by artillery and missile units, engaged in fierce clashes with Tahrir al-Sham al-Hay’at terrorists in al-Hobait road in Southern Idlib and took control of the town of al-Horsh al-Tavileh and Tal al-Arji near Khan Sheikhoun city.

Meantime, a military source noted that the siege has been laid on Khan Sheikhoun from the Eastern and Western sides in the Syrian Army’s recent advances, and said that at least 47 terrorists, including foreign militants, have been killed in recent clashes.

The Syrian Army is very close now to the strategic city of Khan Sheikhoun which is a key stronghold of the terrorists in Idlib province.

Once Khan Sheikhoun comes under control, Ma’aret al-Numan Road will be the next target of the Syrian army and it will lay siege on hundreds of kilometers of territories there, including the towns of al-Latamineh, Kafar Zita and Mourek in Northern Hama.

In a relevant development on Thursday, the Syrian army continued military operations in Southern Idlib, regaining control of new regions at the entrance of Khan Sheikhoun.

The army forces continued clashes with Tahrir al-Sham al-Hay’at (the Levant Liberation Front or the Al-Nusra Front) terrorists in the Western parts of Khan Sheikhoun in Southern Idlib on Thursday, retaking control of the towns of Horsh al-Abedin and Kharbat al-Abedin in the Northern parts of the town of al-Habit, Zaitouneh farm and the village of Madaya in the North of the town of Kafar Ain.

Meantime, a military source said that the Syrian army’s special forces in clashes with Tahrir al-Sham took back control of regions from Zarae’i farms in the West of Khan Sheikhoun to al-Salam checkpoint in the Western gate of the town and deployed in the area.

He added that the Syrian army troops also resumed advance in the Eastern parts of Khan Sheikhoun near the town of al-Tamane’ah in Southern Idlib.

Also, the Arabic-language service of SANA news agency quoted a military source as saying that a fighter jet of the Syrian army crashed in al-Tamane’ah region after the terrorists’ attack by anti-aircraft missiles. No reports have yet been released about the fate of the pilot(s).

The Syrian Army had kept up the momentum of its offensive advances in the Northern province of Idlib on Wednesday, and expanded its rule to the regions only 3 kilometers away from the strategic city of Khan Sheikhoun.

The Syrian Army troops, backed by artillery and missile fire, continued their clashes with Tahrir al-Sham terrorists on al-Hobait Road to the West of Khan Sheikhoun in Southern Idlib and captured the towns of Um Zeitouneh, Kharbeh Morshed and al-Mantar.

Army officers said government troops have expanded their presence to areas only three kilometers to Khan Sheikhoun from the West, and said are advancing towards al-Salam Station at the gates of the strategic city.

They pointed to the strategic importance of Khan Sheikhoun, and reminded that the city that links Eastern Idlib to the Western and Northern parts of the province is seen as the gate to the capture of Idlib city.

“Once, Khan Sheikhoun is captured, the grounds will be paved for the Syrian army to reopen the crucial Aleppo-Damascus road and further advance towards other strategic regions, including al-Tah, Kafar Sajneh and Ma’aret al-Numan,” they stated.