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Photos: Syrian troops capture key town in rebel-held Idlib province

Syria’s nearly nine-year conflict has left more than 400,000 people dead and displaced half of Syria’s population, including more than 5 million who are refugees, mostly in neighbouring countries. Syrian government forces has now captured one of the largest and most strategic rebel-held towns in the country’s northwest, the Syrian military and opposition activists said Wednesday, part of a Russian-backed military assault that has displaced hundreds of thousands of people fleeing to safer areas. Their next target is likely to be Saraqeb, which would become the last major town on the M5 highway that remains outside government control.

Updated on: Jan 30, 2020 7:22 PM IST

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Syrian flee the advance of the government forces in the province of Idlib. Syrian government forces captured one of the largest and most strategic rebel-held towns in the country's northwest, the Syrian military and opposition activists said Wednesday, part of a Russian-backed military assault that has displaced hundreds of thousands of people fleeing to safer areas. (Ghaith Alsayed / AP)

Updated on Jan 30, 2020 7:22 PM

Syrian flee the advance of the government forces in the province of Idlib. Syrian government forces captured one of the largest and most strategic rebel-held towns in the country's northwest, the Syrian military and opposition activists said Wednesday, part of a Russian-backed military assault that has displaced hundreds of thousands of people fleeing to safer areas. (Ghaith Alsayed / AP)

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Syrian army soldiers flash the victory sign as they stand on their tank in western rural Aleppo. Syria’s nearly nine-year conflict has left more than 400,000 people dead and displaced half of Syria’s population, including more than 5 million who are refugees, mostly in neighbouring countries. (Ghaith Alsayed / AP)

Updated on Jan 30, 2020 7:22 PM

Syrian army soldiers flash the victory sign as they stand on their tank in western rural Aleppo. Syria’s nearly nine-year conflict has left more than 400,000 people dead and displaced half of Syria’s population, including more than 5 million who are refugees, mostly in neighbouring countries. (Ghaith Alsayed / AP)

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The town of Maaret al-Numan in Idlib province, which had been in rebel hands since 2012, sits on the highway linking Damascus with Aleppo and is considered critical to President Bashar Assad’s forces. The town is now largely empty as a result of intense bombardment in recent weeks. (Ghaith Alsayed / AP)

Updated on Jan 30, 2020 7:22 PM

The town of Maaret al-Numan in Idlib province, which had been in rebel hands since 2012, sits on the highway linking Damascus with Aleppo and is considered critical to President Bashar Assad’s forces. The town is now largely empty as a result of intense bombardment in recent weeks. (Ghaith Alsayed / AP)

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“Our armed forces continued operations in southern parts of Idlib with the aim of putting an end to crimes committed by terrorist groups,” said army spokesman Brig. Gen. Ali Mayhoub to AP. He listed more than a dozen villages and towns captured, including Maaret al-Numan. (Ghaith Alsayed / AP)

Updated on Jan 30, 2020 7:22 PM

“Our armed forces continued operations in southern parts of Idlib with the aim of putting an end to crimes committed by terrorist groups,” said army spokesman Brig. Gen. Ali Mayhoub to AP. He listed more than a dozen villages and towns captured, including Maaret al-Numan. (Ghaith Alsayed / AP)

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Syrian refugees head northwest through the town of Hazano in Idlib province. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war monitor, said insurgents withdrew from the town late Tuesday. Syrian troops had left a road west of the town opened apparently to give a chance for insurgents to pull out and to avoid street battles inside the town. (Ghaith Alsayed / AP)

Updated on Jan 30, 2020 7:22 PM

Syrian refugees head northwest through the town of Hazano in Idlib province. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war monitor, said insurgents withdrew from the town late Tuesday. Syrian troops had left a road west of the town opened apparently to give a chance for insurgents to pull out and to avoid street battles inside the town. (Ghaith Alsayed / AP)

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Syrian army soldiers chant slogans as they hold their rifles. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed frustration with Moscow over its failure to halt Syrian government attacks in Idlib. Erdogan said Russia is not loyal to agreements reached with Turkey over the situation in Idlib, including a cease-fire that collapsed earlier this month. He said he is in contact with the Russians to tell them to stop the bombing “in Idlib or our patience will run out.” (Ghaith Alsayed / AP)

Updated on Jan 30, 2020 7:22 PM

Syrian army soldiers chant slogans as they hold their rifles. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed frustration with Moscow over its failure to halt Syrian government attacks in Idlib. Erdogan said Russia is not loyal to agreements reached with Turkey over the situation in Idlib, including a cease-fire that collapsed earlier this month. He said he is in contact with the Russians to tell them to stop the bombing “in Idlib or our patience will run out.” (Ghaith Alsayed / AP)

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Amid intense airstrikes and heavy bombardment, trucks loaded with displaced people from areas surrounding Maaret al-Numan, including Jabal al-Zawiya, headed toward areas near the Turkish border, already bursting with internally displaced people. “Only God knows where our destination will be, where we will find a house. We do not know anything, maybe we will sleep in the car,” said one woman who was among those fleeing with her family Tuesday. She declined to give her name, fearing for her safety. (Ghaith Alsayed / AP)

Updated on Jan 30, 2020 7:22 PM

Amid intense airstrikes and heavy bombardment, trucks loaded with displaced people from areas surrounding Maaret al-Numan, including Jabal al-Zawiya, headed toward areas near the Turkish border, already bursting with internally displaced people. “Only God knows where our destination will be, where we will find a house. We do not know anything, maybe we will sleep in the car,” said one woman who was among those fleeing with her family Tuesday. She declined to give her name, fearing for her safety. (Ghaith Alsayed / AP)

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A tank is seen covered with a plastic sheet on the road between the villages of Deir Sharqi and Talmans on the eastern outskirts of Maaret al-Numan. In August, Syrian troops captured another town along the highway, Khan Sheikhoun. Now that Syrian troops are in control of Maaret al-Numan, their next target is likely to be Saraqeb, which would become the last major town on the M5 highway that remains outside government control. (SANA / AFP)

Updated on Jan 30, 2020 7:22 PM

A tank is seen covered with a plastic sheet on the road between the villages of Deir Sharqi and Talmans on the eastern outskirts of Maaret al-Numan. In August, Syrian troops captured another town along the highway, Khan Sheikhoun. Now that Syrian troops are in control of Maaret al-Numan, their next target is likely to be Saraqeb, which would become the last major town on the M5 highway that remains outside government control. (SANA / AFP)

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