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Syria insurgents recapture village from government forces

BEIRUT -- Syrian opposition fighters said Wednesday they recaptured a village on the edge of their stronghold in northwestern Syria that had been seized two weeks earlier by government forces in an offensive that wrecked a months-old cease-fire in the densely populated area.

 

The capture of Kfar Nabuda by government forces on May 8 was the most serious challenge to the cease-fire in Idlib province and surrounding areas negotiated by Russia and Turkey in September. It was the first ground advance by government forces on the rebel stronghold, home to 3 million people, since the cease-fire averted an earlier offensive.

 

The area is among the last outside President Bashar Assad's control -- and the last area still held by anti-government rebels in the country's eight-year civil war.

 

Naji al-Mustafa, a spokesman for the opposition fighters, said they regained control of the village on Wednesday following an overnight counteroffensive. He said they aim to regain control of all the areas seized by the government over the last two weeks.

 

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights confirmed government forces were repelled from Kfar Nabuda, adding there were clashes on the outskirts.

 


פרסום ראשון: 05.22.19, 17:53