Syria army says retakes key northwest townSyrian troops pass through a recaptured village in their final push on the strategic highway town of Maaret a-Numan, held by the rebels for seven yearsBEIRUT - Syria government forces recaptured a strategic highway town in the northwest from jihadist and allied rebels Wednesday, in the latest blow to the country's last major opposition bastion. Maaret al-Numan, a former anti-government protest hotspot turned ghost town after months of bombardment, lies on a key highway connecting the capital to second city Aleppo. "Our forces managed in the past few days to stamp out terrorism in many villages and towns," including Maaret al-Numan, an army spokesman said. In 2011, Maaret al-Numan was one of the first towns in the northwestern province of Idlib to rise up against the Damascus government. On Wednesday, army forces swept the town for booby traps and unexploded ordnance after all rebels were either killed or withdrew, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

Source: Bangkok Post January 29, 2020 09:45 UTC