Takfiri militants seize key Syrian army base in Idlib
Al-Qaeda-linked al-Nusra Front has seized the largest military base in the northwestern Syrian province of Idlib, a UK-based monitoring group says.
All Syrian forces have withdrawn from the al-Mastumah military base, said Rami Abdel Rahman, the head of the so-called Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, on Tuesday.
The base fell into the hands of the militants following a huge blast and heavy clashes with Syrian government troops who left the base towards the town of Ariha, he added.
Syrian state television announced that the military was "taking defensive positions" outside of the northern town.
Over the last few months, Idlib has been the epicenter of deadly clashes between government troops and the Takfiris.
The provincial capital was overrun by the terrorists on March 28 and the nearby city of Jisr al-Shughur fell last month.
Syria has been grappling with a deadly crisis since March 2011. The violence fueled by Takfiri groups has so far claimed the lives of over 222,000 people, according to reports.
Over 3.8 million Syrians have left their country since the beginning of the crisis. More than 7.2 million Syrians have also become internally displaced, according to the United Nations.
SRK/MHB/AS
Turkey's foreign minister meets Syria's de facto leader in Damascus
Syria’s de facto new ruler names Asaad al-Shibani as foreign minister
Iranian embassy staffer assassinated by terrorists in Damascus
‘All wars have rules. All of those rules have been broken’ by Israel
VIDEO | Report flags India’s violation of rights of Rohingya detainees
Turkey's foreign minister meets Syria's de facto leader in Damascus
'Next to impossible' to rescue patients from Gaza's Kamal Adwan Hospital: Director
VIDEO | Vietnam current prosperity
Report blames gasoil exports for shortage at Iranian power plants
VIDEO | Hind Rajab Foundation names Israeli war criminals vacationing after Gaza genocide
VIDEO | Australians rally for Gaza ahead of Christmas festivities
PressTV NEWSLETTER
now
This makes it easy to access the Press TV website
