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Syria rebels report gains in Latakia
[ARA News] HOMS – Several rebel groups, including Islamist factions, announced a new battle against Syrian army forces under the banner ‘Conquer them’ in Mount Turkmen in Syria’s coastal province of Latakia, local sources reported on Monday.Activists confirmed that the Ajnad al-Qoqaz is the most influential Islamist group participating in the new alliance. Speaking to ARA News in Latakia, media activist Jamal Ali said that rebel factions began a major offensive in several hills in the vicinity of the Baydaa village of the Kinsabba township in Mount Turkmen. “Islamist rebels have also attacked headquarters of the regime’s army in the villages surrounding the Baydaa with heavy artillery fire,” Ali added, pointing out that the bombardment came in conjunction with the entry of an infantry unit from Islamist rebels into the township earlier this morning. Also, the Islamist rebel factions gained control of the Baydaa hill after killing around 17 soldiers from the pro-regime forces and injuring over a dozen more. The rebels were also able to seize a large deal of light and medium weapons after forcing the regime’s army to retreat from the Kinsabba township. “An Islamist military commander was killed in the Kinsabba township in the clashes,” a rebel spokesman told ARA News, preferring anonymity. Latakia suburbs has been witnessing ongoing battles between the Syrian army forces and Islamist rebels for weeks, during which the latter have been seeking to regain areas that fell to the regime in the Mount Turkmen in Latakia province. Posted by: badanov 2016-04-12 |
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