Syrian Government Forces Capture 14 Villages From Rebels

In a push to take back the largest rebel-held enclave in the country’s north, government forces have taken control of 14 more villages.

Syrian troops have been pushing into the Hama and Idlib provinces since late October, and have so far captured almost 100 villages from insurgent groups, including the al-Qaeda linked Levant Liberation Committee.

The offensive was strengthened on Christmas Day after reinforcements were brought in from other parts of Syria.

Government troops are aiming to reach the rebel held Abu Zuhour air base which has been held by rebels since 2015, after a three-year siege.

The move also seeks to secure the road which links Damascus, the country’s capital, with Aleppo, Syria’s largest city.

The government controlled Syrian Central Military Media (SCMM) said the newly captured villages include: Freija, Jahman, Dawoudiyeh and Jub al-Qasab.

The UK based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, has also confirmed the capture of these 14 villages alongside the SCMM.

The Observatory also said that 43 people have died in southern parts of Idlib province, following shelling and air strikes. 27 of these people are believed to have been civilians, including women and children.

The death toll is expected to rise as people are yet to be found under the rubble.

Further casualties are confirmed following a car bombing in Idlib

Meanwhile within the north-western city of Idlib, paramedics have said the number of dead has risen to 25 after a car bombing on Sunday, with the number of wounded nearing 100.

The Syrian Civil Defence, known as the White Helmets, said that four children and 11 women were among those killed.

Activists have claimed the target of the bombing was the office of Ajnad al-Koukaz, a militant group made up of mainly foreign fighters from Russia and the Caucuses.

Damascus sees further clashes over surrounded troops

Fighting erupted on Monday near the Damascus suburb of Harata after government forces reached troops who had been surrounded by insurgents for more than a week.

The troops had been trapped in the Murakabat vehicle base near Harasta, in the eastern Ghouta suburbs.

Rebels surrounded the military base late last month, trapping an unknown number of soldiers inside.

The Observatory says that 159 rebels and government soldiers have been killed fighting for the base since the 19th of December.