BEIRUT (AP) - Syrian forces gained more ground from insurgents in the country's northwest on Thursday, edging closer to a major rebel-held town a day after militants shot down a government warplane in the area.

The government offensive, which intensified last week, has displaced nearly 100,000 people over the past four days, according to the Syrian Response Coordination Group, a relief group active in northwestern Syria.

Syrian troops have been on the offensive in Idlib and its surroundings, the last major rebel stronghold in Syria, since April 30. The region is home to some 3 million people, many of them displaced in other battles around the war-torn country.

The fighting over the past days has been concentrated on two fronts as government forces march toward the town of Khan Sheikhoun from the east and west. The latest offensive also aims to besiege rebel-held towns and villages in northern parts of Hama province, according to opposition activists.

The town of Khan Sheikhoun is a stronghold of al-Qaida-linked Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the most powerful group in the rebel-held areas. The town was the scene of a chemical attack on April 4, 2017 that killed 89 people.

At the time, the United States, Britain and France pointed a finger at the Syrian government, saying their experts had found that nerve agents were used in the attack. Days later, the U.S. fired 59 U.S. Tomahawk missiles at the Shayrat Air Base in central Syria, saying the attack on Khan Sheikhoun was launched from the base.

This photo provided by the Ibaa News Agency, the media arm of al-Qaida's branch in Syria, purports to show part of a Syrian warplane that was shot down by rebel fighters over Idlib province in Syria, Wednesday, Aug 14, 2019. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a war monitor, said the warplane was shot down on the southern edge of Idlib province, while activist Taher al-Omar who has close links with militants said it was a Russian-made SU-22. The caption in Arabic reads: "The remains of the warplane that was shot down by holy warriors of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham as part of the Great Conquest operations." (Ibaa News Agency via AP)

The Syrian government and its Russian allies denied there was a chemical attack.

The government-controlled Syrian Central Military Media said Thursday that pro-government fighters captured three small villages, just west of Khan Sheikhoun.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a war monitoring group, said the villages fell in the morning hours and that the town of Khan Sheikhoun is being bombarded relentlessly.

Syrian state media confirmed insurgents had downed the government plane on Wednesday. An al-Qaida-linked group has released a video of the pilot in which the handcuffed man identified himself as a lieutenant colonel in the Syrian air force.

In the video, the pilot says his fighter jet was shot down when he was carrying out a mission near Khan Sheikhoun.

This photo provided by the Ibaa News Agency, the media arm of al-Qaida's branch in Syria, purports to show part of a Syrian warplane that was shot down by rebel fighters over Idlib province in Syria, Wednesday, Aug 14, 2019. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a war monitor, said the warplane was shot down on the southern edge of Idlib province, while activist Taher al-Omar who has close links with militants said it was a Russian-made SU-22. The caption in Arabic reads: "The remains of the warplane that was shot down by holy warriors of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham as part of the Great Conquest operations." (Ibaa News Agency via AP)

This photo provided by the Ibaa News Agency, the media arm of al-Qaida's branch in Syria, purports to show part of a Syrian warplane that was shot down by rebel fighters over Idlib province in Syria, Wednesday, Aug 14, 2019. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a war monitor, said the warplane was shot down on the southern edge of Idlib province, while activist Taher al-Omar who has close links with militants said it was a Russian-made SU-22. The caption in Arabic reads: "The remains of the warplane that was shot down by holy warriors of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham as part of the Great Conquest operations." (Ibaa News Agency via AP) </s> This photo provided by the Ibaa News Agency, the media arm of al-Qaida’s branch in Syria, purports to show part of a Syrian warplane that was shot down by rebel fighters over Idlib province in Syria, Wednesday, Aug 14, 2019. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a war monitor, said the warplane was shot down on the southern edge of Idlib province, while activist Taher al-Omar who has close links with militants said it was a Russian-made SU-22. The caption in Arabic reads: “The remains of the warplane that was shot down by holy warriors of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham as part of the Great Conquest operations.” (Ibaa News Agency via AP)

BEIRUT (AP) — Syrian forces gained more ground from insurgents in the country’s northwest on Thursday, edging closer to a major rebel-held town a day after militants shot down a government warplane in the area.

The government offensive, which intensified last week, has displaced nearly 100,000 people over the past four days, according to the Syrian Response Coordination Group, a relief group active in northwestern Syria.

Syrian troops have been on the offensive in Idlib and its surroundings, the last major rebel stronghold in Syria, since April 30. The region is home to some 3 million people, many of them displaced in other battles around the war-torn country.

The fighting over the past days has been concentrated on two fronts as government forces march toward the town of Khan Sheikhoun from the east and west. The latest offensive also aims to besiege rebel-held towns and villages in northern parts of Hama province, according to opposition activists.

The town of Khan Sheikhoun is a stronghold of al-Qaida-linked Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the most powerful group in the rebel-held areas. The town was the scene of a chemical attack on April 4, 2017 that killed 89 people.

At the time, the United States, Britain and France pointed a finger at the Syrian government, saying their experts had found that nerve agents were used in the attack. Days later, the U.S. fired 59 U.S. Tomahawk missiles at the Shayrat Air Base in central Syria, saying the attack on Khan Sheikhoun was launched from the base.

The Syrian government and its Russian allies denied there was a chemical attack.

The government-controlled Syrian Central Military Media said Thursday that pro-government fighters captured three small villages, just west of Khan Sheikhoun.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a war monitoring group, said the villages fell in the morning hours and that the town of Khan Sheikhoun is being bombarded relentlessly.

Syrian state media confirmed insurgents had downed the government plane on Wednesday. An al-Qaida-linked group has released a video of the pilot in which the handcuffed man identified himself as a lieutenant colonel in the Syrian air force.

In the video, the pilot says his fighter jet was shot down when he was carrying out a mission near Khan Sheikhoun. </s> BEIRUT — Syrian government forces captured five villages in the country’s northwest early Wednesday, inching closer to a major rebel-controlled town that was the scene of a deadly 2017 chemical weapons attack and forcing thousands to flee their homes to a safer area farther north, opposition activists and state media reported.

Opposition activists also reported that a Syrian warplane was shot down by rebels in the area, adding that the fate of the pilot was not immediately clear. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a war monitor, said the jet was shot down on the southern edge of Idlib province. Activist Taher al-Omar, who has close links with militants, said it was a Russian-made SU-22.

The capture of the five villages — Tel Aas, Khirbet Morshed, Kfar Eyn, Um Zeitoun and Mantar — puts Syrian troops about 3 miles west of Khan Sheikhoun, one of the largest and most populated towns on the southern edge of idlib province, which is the last remaining rebel stronghold in the country.

Khan Sheikhoun is a stronghold of al Qaeda-linked Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the most powerful group in the rebel-held areas. The town was the scene of a chemical attack on April 4, 2017 that killed 89 people.

At the time, the U.S., Britain and France pointed a finger at the Syrian government, saying their experts had found that nerve agents were used in the attack. Days later, the U.S. fired 59 U.S. Tomahawk missiles at the Shayrat Air Base in central Syria, saying the attack on Khan Sheikhoun was launched from the base.

Syrian troops have been on the offensive against rebel strongholds in the north of Hama province and the southern districts of Idlib since April 30.

The three-month campaign of air strikes and shelling has killed more than 2,000 people on both sides and displaced some 400,000. </s> Image copyright AFP Image caption Rebel fighters posed for pictures with wreckage from the warplane

A Syrian government warplane has been shot down during fighting in the rebel-held northern province of Idlib.

It happened near the town of Khan Sheikhoun, which is being targeted in a Russian-backed government offensive.

Syrian state news agency Sana said that the warplane was hit by an anti-aircraft missile fired by militants.

Jihadist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) has claimed responsibility and released footage purportedly showing the captured pilot.

HTS, the dominant faction in Idlib, did not say how it brought down the Russian-made Sukhoi warplane on Wednesday.

In a video published by its media arm Iba on Thursday, a man identifies himself as "Lieutenant Colonel Muhammad Ahmad Sulayman from the 70th Brigade".

"My plane was shot down by mujahideen while I was carrying out my mission east of Khan Sheikhoun. I am currently with mujahideen," he says, referring to the jihadist group.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based monitoring group, had earlier reported that the pilot had been captured by HTS militants.

Sana quoted a military source as saying that the pilot's fate was unknown.

The government has stepped up its offensive in the region in recent months. Hundreds of civilians have been killed, and hundreds of thousands more driven from their homes.

Syria's government, backed by Russia, is trying to recapture the region from rebels and jihadists.

Khan Sheikhoun, which was hit by a Sarin gas attack in 2017, is a strategically important town in the south of the province.

Government forces said they had seized new ground on Wednesday, advancing to within a few kilometres of Khan Sheikhoun, which has been controlled by rebels since 2014.

A rebel commander told Reuters news agency that the town was in "great danger".

Image copyright AFP Image caption The plane left a large crater after being shot down near Khan Sheikhoun

Idlib, northern Hama and western Aleppo province make up the last opposition stronghold in Syria after eight years of civil war.

They are supposedly covered by a truce brokered in September by Russia and opposition-backer Turkey that spared the 2.7 million civilians living there from a major government offensive.

Civilian areas have been hit frequently since the Syrian government and Russia intensified their attacks earlier this year in response to what they said were repeated truce violations by jihadists linked to al-Qaeda, who dominate the region. </s> A RUSSIAN pilot who ejected from his fighter jet after it was shot down in northwestern Syria has been killed after landing alive on the ground, according to a Syrian human rights monitoring group.

“Rebel factions shot down a Sukhoi 25,” confirmed Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

“The Russian pilot came down in a parachute, before being captured,” confirmed Mr Rahman.

He could not immediately confirm which faction had downed the plane but hard line opposition groups and the jihadist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham are active in Idlib.

No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack.

A Syrian militant in the area told the Associated Press that the Russian pilot was shot and killed when he resisted capture by opening fire from his pistol on the militants who tried to capture him alive.

Moscow has not confirmed the downing of its plane or the killing of a pilot.

The militant refused to be identified by his real name because was not authorised to speak to the media.

Video of the jet being shot down has been posted online.

Syrian troops launched a fierce offensive on Idlib in late December, with backing by Russian warplanes.

Opposition factions have shot at Syrian regime planes in the past, but downing Russian warplanes is much rarer. </s> Feb. 3 (UPI) -- More than two dozen Syrian rebels on Saturday were killed by Russian cruise-missile attacks after Syrian rebels downed a Russian fighter jet.

The pilot of the Russian Su-25 fighter jet had ejected and landed safely but was later killed by terrorists, according to the Russian Defense Ministry.

Russia's retaliation of the Syrian attack used precision-guided weapons in a strike that killed more than 30 militants where the plane was downed in the northwest province of Idlib, according to reports.

The incident comes as Syrian government forces, with support by Russian air and Iranian arms, have intensified their offensive into the province, which is one of the last rebel-held strongholds in Syria and host to several al-Qaeda-affiliated Islamist groups.

Russian and Syrian airstrikes have raised doubts about the future of Idlib, which has been firmly under the control of Islamist rebels since mid-2015. Most prominent among them is Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, a coalition of jihadist groups headed by Jabhat al-Nusra, now known as Fateh al-Sham.

Valery Gerasimov, the commander of Russian forces in Syria, called for Tahrir al-Sham's "elimination," saying that would be his top priority in 2018. </s> Syrian regime forces captured a string of insurgent-held villages in northwest Syria on Thursday, inching closer to a key jihadist-run town in the Idlib region, a war monitor said

Beirut, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - APP - 15th Aug, 2019 ) :Syrian regime forces captured a string of insurgent-held villages in northwest Syria on Thursday, inching closer to a key jihadist-run town in the Idlib region, a war monitor said.

Over the past week, pro-Assad fighters have advanced on the southern edges of Idlib province, controlled by Syria's former Al-Qaeda affiliate Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS).

On Thursday, regime loyalists stood just three kilometres (1.8 miles) away from the key town of Khan Sheikhun, after capturing five villages to its northwest overnight, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The town lies on a key highway coveted by the regime.

The road in question runs through Idlib, connecting government-held Damascus with the northern city of Aleppo, which was retaken by loyalists from rebels in December 2016.

"The aim of the advance is to surround Khan Sheikhun and reach the highway," Observatory head Rami Abdul Rahman told AFP.

Fighting in southern Idlib on Thursday killed five regime combatants and 11 jihadists and allied rebels, said the Britain-based monitor.

A day earlier jihadists downed a regime plane near Khan Sheikhun, and took the pilot prisoner. </s> On August 21, the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) and the Tiger Forces liberated the town of Khan Shaykhun and the areas of Khazanat and Tal Taeri, thus fully encircling remaining militants in northern Hama.

The Hayat Tahrir al-Sham strong points of Kafr Zita, Lataminah, and Morek, as well as the nearby settlements of Lahaya, Markabah, Latmin and Sayad are now fully cut off from their radical counterparts in the Idlib zone. A Morek observation post, where Turkish troops are deployed, is also encircled.

Khan Shaykhun, located on a highway linking Damascus with Aleppo, is one of the biggest urban centers in southern Idlib. For years, it had served as the key stronghold of al-Qaeda-linked militants. Currently, SAA troops are working to secure their recent gains and preparing for a further push to clear the rest of northern Hama.

Reacting to the Syrian military advance, a Turkish presidential spokesman, Ibrahim Kalin, saidthat all observation posts, including the one near Murak, will remain in their positions in Greater Idlib. He also revealed that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will speak with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on the phone over the situation in Idlib in the next couple of days.

These remarks were accompanied with common Turkish media propaganda accusing the SAA of violating the ceasefire regime and oppressing so-called moderate rebels. But in fact, Turkey just admitted its tactical loss and inability to rescue militants in this part of Syria.

Another important point of Kalin’s statement was dedicated to the US-Turkish ‘safe-zone’ agreement on northern Syria. According to the Turkish side, joint partrols US and Turkish forces will soon be launched east of the Euphrates, within the area controlled by US-backed Kurdish groups. Ankara see these groups as terrorist organizations and has repeatedly shelled their positions. So, it will be interesting to look how this claim will be implemented if US-backed formations remain deployed in the areas of supposed joint patrols.

BEIRUT, LEBANON (10:10 P.M.) – The Syrian Arab Army (SAA) scored a major victory in the southern countryside of the Idlib Governorate this week when the jihadist rebels abandoned several areas, including the strategic city of Khan Sheikhoun. Since the militant withdrawal from Khan Sheikhoun, the Syrian Arab Army has moved into the city and begun clearing the empty neighborhoods, while also securing other areas east of the city. According to a military source near the front-lines, the Syrian Arab Army has completed the siege of northern Hama after capturing several points near the town of Al-Ta’manah in the southern countryside of Idlib. While Al-Ta’manah has not been captured, the Syrian Army has seized most of the points south and east of the town, leaving only a small area left under the control of the jihadist rebels. At the same time, with the Ta’manah-Khan Sheikhoun Road closed off, the Turkish Armed Forces now find themselves encircled by the Syrian Arab Army at the town of Morek. Turkey has already announced that they will not abandon their observation post at Morek, despite the recent militant setbacks. The Turkish regime has also warned the Syrian military about “playing with fire” in this area, especially after the Syrian Air Force almost hit their military convoy in southern Idlib.

Filed under: Al Qaeda, Erdogan, neo-Ottoman, SAA, The 5 Seas Region, Turkey, USA, War on Syria | Tagged: Hama, Khan Sheikhoun, Liberation of Idlib | </s> Syrian opposition fighters downed a Russian warplane near the town of Maaret al-Numan in the northwestern province of Idlib on Saturday, according to the London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

"Rebel factions shot down a Sukhoi 25. The Russian pilot came down in a parachute, before being captured," said Rami Abdurrahman, who runs the monitoring group.

Read more: UN warns of humanitarian disaster, displacement in northwest Syria

However, it later emerged that the Russian pilot had been killed by rebel fighters after he resisted capture by opening fire with his pistol. "The pilot was killed as he fought Islamist rebels who had shot down his plane and were taking him captive," Abdurrahman said.

The militant Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group said it shot down the plane, but did not mention the pilot. The group is dominated by al-Qaida's former affiliate in Syria.

The HTS statement said the attack was in retaliation for a bombing campaign by Russian jets over Idlib.

Who's fighting in the Syria conflict? War with no end Syria has been engulfed in a devastating civil war since 2011 after Syrian President Bashar Assad lost control over large parts of the country to multiple revolutionary groups. The conflict has since drawn in foreign powers and brought misery and death to Syrians.

Who's fighting in the Syria conflict? The dictator Syria's army, officially known as the Syrian Arab Army (SAA), is loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and is fighting to restore the president's rule over the entire country. The SAA has been fighting alongside a number of pro-Assad militias such as the National Defense Force and has cooperated with military advisors from Russia and Iran, which back Assad.

Who's fighting in the Syria conflict? The northern watchman Turkey, which is also part of the US-led coalition against IS, has actively supported rebels opposed to Assad. It has a tense relationship with its American allies over US cooperation with Kurdish fighters, who Ankara says are linked to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) fighting in Turkey. The Turkish military has intervened alongside rebels in northern Aleppo, Afrin and Idlib province.

Who's fighting in the Syria conflict? The eastern guardian The Kremlin has proven to be a powerful friend to Assad. Russian air power and ground troops officially joined the fight in September 2015 after years of supplying the Syrian army. Moscow has come under fire from the international community for the high number of civilian casualties during its airstrikes. However, Russia's intervention turned the tide in war in favor of Assad.

Who's fighting in the Syria conflict? The western allies A US-led coalition of more than 50 countries, including Germany, began targeting IS and other terrorist targets with airstrikes in late 2014. The anti-IS coalition has dealt major setbacks to the militant group. The US has more than a thousand special forces in the country backing the Syrian Democratic Forces.

Who's fighting in the Syria conflict? The rebels The Free Syrian Army grew out of protests against the Assad regime that eventually turned violent. Along with other non-jihadist rebel groups, it seeks the ouster of President Assad and democratic elections. After suffering a number of defeats, many of its members defected to hardline militant groups. It garnered some support from the US and Turkey, but its strength has been greatly diminished.

Who's fighting in the Syria conflict? The resistance Fighting between Syrian Kurds and Islamists has become its own conflict. The US-led coalition against the "Islamic State" has backed the Syrian Democratic Forces, an alliance of Kurdish and Arab militias. The Kurdish YPG militia is the main component of the SDF. The Kurds have had a tacit understanding with Assad.

Who's fighting in the Syria conflict? The new jihadists "Islamic State" (IS) took advantage of regional chaos to capture vast swathes of territory in Iraq and Syria in 2014. Seeking to establish its own "caliphate," IS has become infamous for its fundamentalist brand of Islam and its mass atrocities. IS is on the brink of defeat after the US and Russia led separate military campaigns against the militant group.

Who's fighting in the Syria conflict? The old jihadists IS is not the only terrorist group that has ravaged Syria. A number of jihadist militant groups are fighting in the conflict, warring against various rebel factions and the Assad regime. One of the main jihadist factions is Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham, which controls most of Idlib province and has ties with al-Qaeda.

Who's fighting in the Syria conflict? The Persian shadow Iran has supported Syria, its only Arab ally, for decades. Eager to maintain its ally, Tehran has provided Damascus with strategic assistance, military training and ground troops when the conflict emerged in 2011. The Iran-backed Lebanese Shiite militant group Hezbollah also supports the Assad regime, fighting alongside Iranian forces and paramilitary groups in the country. Author: Elizabeth Schumacher, Alexander Pearson



Moscow also confirmed that the pilot had been killed. "A Russian Su-25 aircraft crashed during a flight over the Idlib de-escalation zone. The pilot had enough time to announce he had ejected into the zone, under the control of al-Nusra Front fighters," Russia's Defense Ministry said. "The pilot was killed in fighting against terrorists."

A video making the rounds on social media showed a dead man with a bloodied face, with bearded gunmen gathered around him. One of the men can be heard shouting "He is Russian." The authenticity of the video could not be independently verified.

Last IS bastion

The incident comes as Syrian government forces, backed by Russian air support and Iranian arms, have intensified their offensive into Idlib. The province is one of the last rebel-held bastions in Syria. It is also host to several Islamist groups affiliated with al-Qaida.

"There have been dozens of Russian airstrikes in the area over the past 24 hours," said Abdurrahman. "This plane was also carrying out raids there."

The Syrian regime launched its offensive against Idlib from the south and east in December.

Last month, the Syrian army retook the strategic Abu Dhuhur airbase from insurgents in Idlib.

According to Jan Egeland, who heads the UN's task force on humanitarian aid for Syria, almost a quarter of a million people have been displaced into or from Idlib since the latest onslaught began less than two months ago.

US investigating reports of sarin gas attacks

The escalating violence in Idlib comes as the United States launches an investigation into reports the Syrian government recently used sarin gas to attack opposition forces.

"We have other reports from the battlefield from people who claim it's been used," US Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis said Friday, although he admitted the US had no proof to back the claims.

"We're looking for evidence of it, since clearly we are dealing with the Assad regime that has used denial and deceit to hide their outlaw actions," he added.

In April, more than 80 people died in a sarin gas attack on the rebel-held town of Khan Sheikhoun in Idlib.

That prompted the US to launch airstrikes on a Syrian government military base, although Syria President Bashar Assad has denied the sarin strike was carried out by his troops.

Watch video 01:57 Share #MessageBackHome: We want to return and rebuild Syria Send Facebook google+ Whatsapp Tumblr linkedin stumble Digg reddit Newsvine Permalink https://p.dw.com/p/2rJTR #MessageBackHome: We want to return and rebuild Syria

dm/cmk (dpa, AFP)
A Syrian Air Force Sukhoi Su-22 jet is shot down by rebel forces near the town of Khan Shaykhun in the Idlib Governorate, Syria. Hayat Tahrir al-Sham jihadists say they have captured the pilot.