Syrian regime captures 5 villages in northwestern Syria

By Mehmet Burak Karacaoglu and Esref Musa

IDLIB, Syria (AA) - Syria's Bashar al-Assad regime backed by Russia and Iran has captured 40 residential areas over the past five days in the northwestern Idlib province, despite the region being designated a de-escalation zone.

Since the offensive began on Dec. 20, the regime and its allies have launched a military campaign mainly in the cities of Maarat Al-Numan and Saraqib as well as the surrounding rural areas.

Despite the area being part of a de-escalation zone, the regime and its allies on Tuesday night took control of five more villages in Maarat Al-Numan, bringing the number of seized villages to 40.

In September 2018, Turkey and Russia agreed to turn Idlib into a de-escalation zone in which acts of aggression are expressly prohibited.

Since then, more than 1,300 civilians have been killed in attacks by the regime and Russian forces in the de-escalation zone as the cease-fire continues to be violated.

Over a million Syrians have moved near the Turkish border following intense attacks.

Since the eruption of the bloody civil war in Syria in 2011, Turkey has taken in over 3.7 million Syrians who fled their country, making Turkey the world’s top refugee-hosting country.

*Writing by Fahri Aksut