BEIRUT — Syrian government forces took control of a town south of Idlib city on Tuesday in a significant advance for President Bashar al-Assad as he seeks to recapture rebel-held territory in the country’s northwest, a war monitor and state media said. Syrian state broadcaster al-Ikhbariya said government forces entered Maarat al-Numan, 33 km (20 miles) south of Idlib city, on Tuesday and were combing its districts while advancing further into the town. Turkey already hosts more than 3.5 million Syrian refugees and fears millions more could soon cross the frontier. Maarat al-Numan is located on the main highway in Idlib linking the capital Damascus with Aleppo in northern Syria. Turkey’s Defence Ministry said Turkish forces would retaliate “in the strongest way, without hesitation” against any attack on its observation posts in Idlib province by Assad’s forces.

Source: National Post January 28, 2020 15:00 UTC