Syrian Army Approaches Gate of Key City in Idlib Province

The Syrian Army troops advanced in Southeastern Idlib from Abu al-Dohour-Saraqib and Eastern gate of Ma’arat al-Nauman.

The government troops purged terrorists from the towns of Ma’arat Shomarin, Taqaneh, Talmanes and Ma’ar Shemsheh in Southeastern Idlib after inflicting heavy losses on the terrorists.

The Arabic-language al-Watan newspaper also quoted a military source in Southeastern Idlib as saying that the Syrian Army troops reached the gate of Ma’arat al-Nauman, the second biggest Idlib city situated along the International Aleppo-Hama Highway.

Ma’arat al-Nauman was also one of the most important bastions of the Ankara-backed terrorists.

The daily also pointed to cleaning-up operations carried out in Tal Khatareh, Tal Mastif and Abu Jarif towns and cutting Soq al-Qanam road from Eastern Idlib to Ma’arat al-Nauman, and said that the army troops are very close to laying full siege on the regions from different directions.

In the meantime, other Syrian Army units backed by the artillery units advanced in Jamiat al-Zarha-Akaset al-Bazar axis from the Western front, and took control of several residential complexes in the surrounding areas of Akasar al-Bazar.

Meantime, the SANA news agency reported that the terror outfits occupying Idlib and Aleppo countryside use locals as human shields and prevent them from leaving to safe areas through Abu al-Dohour, al-Habit and al-Hader corridors.

Tahrir al-Sham al-Hay’at (the Levant Liberation Board or the Al-Nusra Front) and its allied terrorist groups have established a number of monitoring posts in the areas adjacent to the recently liberated areas in a bid to block the civilians’ exodus, the report added.

In a relevant development on Saturday, the Syrian Foreign Ministry wrote a letter to the UN, and said that the operation in Idlib and Aleppo against Takfiri elements “will not stop until the elimination of those terrorists, who threaten safety and security of Syrian civilians”.

In a relevant development on Friday, media reports said that the Syrian Army liberated three villages in the Idlib province as other army troops were fighting militants in Aleppo province.

According to the Arabic-language broadcaster Al-Ihkbariya, the Syrian Army established control over three settlements in Southeastern Idlib.

Al-Watan also reported that the fighting in the province of Aleppo, Northwest of the provincial administrative center, was continuing. The clashes are reportedly taking place in the Aleppo suburb of Zahraa.

On Thursday, the Russian Defense Ministry’s Center for Syrian Reconciliation, also known as the Russian Center for the Reconciliation of Opposing Sides in the Syrian Arab Republic, reported that at least 40 Syrian army servicemen had been killed and 80 more wounded after militants attacked their positions in the Idlib de-escalation zone. The center added that up to 50 militants had been killed during the fighting in Southeastern part of the area.

The development comes after Syrian state-run media reported last week that the Syrian forces had resumed their military operation against militants in Idlib, over multiple ceasefire violations.

In mid-December, the Syrian Army started a new military operation in Southeastern Idlib to clear the area of terrorists. Days later, over 40 villages in Idlib had been retaken by government troops.

The Russian Reconciliation Center for Syria has repeatedly called on militants to stop fighting and peacefully engage in conflict resolution.

Idlib is the last stronghold of militants in the Arab republic. According to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, liberating the area is essential to putting an end to the country’s conflict.