Syrian regime forces have taken control of the entire strategic city of Khan Sheikhoun in northwestern Idlib province, where they are fighting against jihadists and rebels, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on Wednesday. 'Man (OSDH). "Regime forces carry out demining operations" in Khan Cheikhoun, a city in the south of Idleb province, Rami Abdel Rahman, director of the Observatory, said.
Most of Idleb province and segments of neighboring Aleppo, Hama and Latakia still escape the control of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad after eight years of conflict and despite reclaiming most of the territory by the diet.
Almost daily bombings
This region, dominated by the jihadist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS, former Syrian branch of Al Qaeda) and home to rebel groups, has been targeted since the end of April for almost daily bombings of Damascus and its Russian ally. , which killed nearly 890 civilians according to the OSDH. Three civilians were still killed by aerial bombardment on Wednesday as 21 rebels or jihadists were killed in the fighting as well as 10 members of pro-regime forces, the Observatory said.
On Tuesday, jihadists and rebels withdrew from Khan Sheikhoun and neighboring areas in northern Hama province in the face of the advance of Moscow-backed regime troops, the OSDH reported. They are trying to regain control of the Aleppo-Damascus highway, which runs through the province of Idleb and Khan Cheikhoun.