Syria: Syrian troops encircle a Turkish military observation post near Idleb

On Friday, 23 August, Bashar al-Assad's troops surrounded an observation post of the Turkish army in northwestern Syria, near Idleb province, after conquering several surrounding villages, reported Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (OSDH).

"The regime's forces surround the Turkish observation post of Morek after conquering the other localities of this pocket", straddling the provinces of Idleb and Hama, said the London-based NGO. The entire sector was completely surrounded by government forces when they regained control of the city of Khan Cheikhoun on 21 August after the withdrawal of jihadists and rebels, according to the OSDH.

#Syria this is the point of observation of #Morek the localities around would also be invested by the Syrian army pic.twitter.com/nkNroEwgtT

"The regime has taken control of all the localities and villages in this encircled pocket, including Kafr Zita and Latamné, without fighting or fighting any resistance," the director of the OSDH told AFP. Rami Abdel Rahman.

"No way to close or move" the observation post in Morek

Supporting some Syrian rebel groups, Turkey deployed forces on several observation posts across Idleb and Hama provinces. The Turkish presidency had already warned Wednesday that there was "no question of closing or moving" the observation post of Morek. All observation posts "will continue to operate where they are," she said.

The regime of Damascus and its Russian ally have been bombarding Idleb province and the neighboring areas of Hama, Latakia and Aleppo provinces, which are dominated by the jihadists of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS, ex- Syrian branch of Al Qaeda) and also host rebel groups supported by Ankara.

Since 8 August, government forces have increased the pressure with ground-level progress, nibbling the territory of jihadists and rebels.

Triggered in 2011 after the repression by the regime of pro-democracy demonstrations, the war in Syria became more complex with the involvement of a multitude of actors, making more than 370,000 dead.

With AFP