Syrian troops capture 14 villages from rebels
Syrian government forces captured 14 villages on Monday as they advance on the largest rebel-held enclave in the country's north amid a wave of airstrikes.
Syrian government forces and their allies have been on the offensive since late October in Hama and Idlib provinces, capturing nearly 100 villages from insurgent groups, including the al-Qaida-linked Levant Liberation Committee. The offensive intensified on Christmas Day after reinforcements were brought in from other parts of Syria.
The main aim of the troops is to reach the rebel-held Abu Zuhour air base and secure the road linking the capital, Damascus, with the northern city of Aleppo, Syria's largest. Rebels captured Abu Zuhour in 2015 after a three-year siege.
The government-controlled Syrian Central Military Media said the newly captured villages, include Freija, Jahman, Dawoudiyeh and Jub al-Qasab, bring the troops closer to the air base.
