Video: Residents return to liberated villages

On Saturday, hundreds of internally displaced Syrian civilians returned safely to their homes in a handful of villages of rural Hama following a succesful government counter-offensive in the region.

With the Syrian flag hoisted high over Khattab and Arzeh after a week of jihadist control, Syrian state media celebrated their recapture on live television.

On Friday, the Tiger Forces – supported by nearly a dozen of allied SAA factions – recaptured the villages of Khattab, Zawr Al-Maslaq, Zawr Al-Jadeed, Soubein, Al-Majdal, and Al-Shayr in a massive push through northern Hama.

Hours later, government forces also seized a number of checkpoints, thus reversing 75% of gains achieved by Islamist rebels since March 21.