Syrian, Russian Fighter Jets Inflict Heavy Losses on Terrorists in Eastern Idlib

TEHRAN (defapress)- The Russian and Syrian air forces in joint airstrikes in Eastern Idlib managed to kill over 60 Ankara-backed militants.

News ID: 80197

Date: 12 February 2020 - 17:47

The clashes between the Syrian Army troops and the Turkey-backed militants in the Eastern part of Idlib province still continue.

A military source present in Special Operations Division 25 in Idlib, elaborated on the terrorists’ plot for the Western part of the city of Ma’aret al-Nauman, and told the Russian Sputnik news agency that a group of Tahrir al-Sham al-Hay’at (the Levant Liberation Board or the Al-Nusra Front) terrorists and other Ankara-backed militants intended to attack the Syrian Army’s military positions to the West of Ma’aret al-Nauman.

Meantime, the military source noted that several leaflets distributed by the Russian reconnaissance aircraft showed that a large number of terrorists had piled up near the town of Deir Sunbol while carrying a large volume of military equipment.

“A sum of 80 militants who had gathered in Eastern Idlib were targeted by the Syrian and Russian fighter jets,” he said, adding that a sum of 60 terrorists were killed and dozens more were wounded.

The source further noted that the Russian and Syrian air forces destroyed eight armored vehicles, including several military vehicles belonging to the militants.

The killed terrorists were plotting to attack the Syrian Army’s military positions in Eastern Idlib concurrent with an attack by Tahrir al-Sham and Ajnad al-Qoqaz to the West of the strategic city of Saraqib.

The Syrian Army also thwarted the terrorists’ attack near Saraqib city. The Ankara-backed terrorists first managed to advance in al-Neyrab town, but the Syrian Army troops eventually brought the region under their full control.

In a relevant development on Sunday, the Syrian government forces, backed by allied fighters from popular defense groups, made significant advances against foreign-sponsored militants in the Northwestern provinces of Aleppo and Idlib.

In a statement released by the official news agency SANA, Syria's General Command of the Army and Armed Forces announced that troops making territorial gains in the Eastern countryside of Idlib have linked up with their counterparts advancing in Southern Aleppo at one crossing point, establishing full control over a number of towns, villages and strategic hills and nearly 600 square kilometers of land.

It went on to say that the Syrian forces keep safeguarding national sovereignty and public dignity, eliminating the dangers of terrorist groups.

The statement highlighted that attempts by sponsors of terrorism to stop the collapse within the ranks of terror groups operating inside Syria will not succeed.

Idlib and the area North of Aleppo province form part of the only large territory in the hands of the terrorists after the Syrian military managed to undo militant gains across the country and bring back almost all the Syrian soil under Damascus government control.

The fresh military operation by Damascus in Idlib came after those positioned in the de-escalation zone failed to honor the ceasefire and continued to target civilian neighborhoods. The Syrian army forces resumed their military operation against militants in Idlib, over multiple ceasefire violations.

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.

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