Syria army overruns Idlib crossroads townSyrian troops advance through Idlib province towards Saraqeb, a strategic crossroads town long in the sights of government commandersDAMASCUS - The Syrian army took control of a strategic northwestern crossroads town on Saturday, its latest gain in a weeks-long offensive against the country's last major rebel bastion of Idlib. "Army units now exercise full control over the town of Saraqeb," state television reported, over footage of the town's streets, deserted after weeks of bombardment. Since December, government forces have pressed a blistering assault against the Idlib region with Russian support, retaking town after town despite warnings from rebel ally Turkey to back off. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Friday that government forces were in control of the whole of the M5 in Idlib province. "They have formed a buffer blocking further regime advances in Idlib," Observatory head Rami Abdul Rahman said.

Source: Bangkok Post February 08, 2020 15:45 UTC