Syrian army recaptures strategic rebel town Maaret al-Numan

Government forces recaptured the strategic town of Maaret al-Numan in northwest Syria from militants and allied rebels on Wednesday, a major blow to the last major opposition enclave in the country.

Maaret al-Numan lies on the key M5 highway that connects the capital Damascus to the northern city of Aleppo. The highway has been coveted by the government as it would allow it to connect cities under its control and boost Syria’s sanctions-hit economy.

Maaret al-Numan, which the government lost in 2012, is the latest in a series of towns to fall in an offensive on Idlib launched last year with the backing of Russia.

The Syrian army, which controls around 70 percent of Syria, said in a statement that its forces are pushing forward in Idlib’s southern countryside.

'Saraqeb is 75 percent empty now. Many civilians are unable to flee the town because they can’t afford it financially, which is unfortunate and very painful'

- Bahjat Issa, Saraqeb

A government military spokesperson said that after Maaret al-Numan’s capture, the army plans to continue its fight "until all Syrian soil has been cleansed of terrorism”.

The Idlib region and the nearby areas of Hama, Aleppo and Latakia provinces are dominated by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) militant group, led by members of the country's former al-Qaeda franchise.

Activist Fayez Daghem, a displaced person from Jarjanaz, a city located east of Maaret al-Numan, said government forces were installing fortifications in the town on Wednesday and have swept it for booby traps, mines and unexploded ordnance.

“Army forces have concentrated their ground offensive east of Masaran village, located on the outskirts of Maaret al-Numan, with the aim of taking control of strategic hills considered as primary fortifications for the rebels,” he told Middle East Eye.

The head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, Rami Abdul-Rahman, said that to the north of Maaret al-Numan, the front line had been pushed back to within 10 kilometres of the town of Saraqeb, the next stop on the M5 highway, according to AFP.

Saraqeb is located east of Idlib and is the third largest city adjacent to the M5 highway from the northern side of Maarat Al-Numan and Khan Sheikhoun.

Daghem claimed army forces could either advance from Masaran, overseeing parts of M5 highway, or advance from the west of the highway in preparation for possible battles in Ariha and Saraqeb.

“Saraqeb is 75 percent empty now. Many civilians are unable to flee the town because they can’t afford it financially, which is unfortunate and very painful,” Bahjat Issa, an activist, told MEE from Saraqeb.

Army forces also clashed with rebels in the south and west of Aleppo province on Tuesday night through Wednesday, activist Adnan al-Imam said.

The forces have seized al-Rashidin district in western Aleppo's countryside, Imam and state news agency SANA said.

Losing patience

Despite several ceasefire agreements between Russia and rebel backer Turkey, government forces have steadily taken areas in the south of the opposition enclave.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused Moscow on Wednesday of "not honouring these agreements" and said Ankara is losing patience with the military assault in Idlib.

Government forces have retaken around 27 towns and villages from their rivals in southern Idlib since January 24, according to AFP.

What remains of areas under militant and allied forces are more than half of Idlib province and small parts of neighbouring Aleppo and Latakia.

Tens of thousands of civilians have fled the areas targeted by the government’s advance into the region in recent weeks towards the Turkish border further north.

More than 388,000 civilians have been displaced in the northwest since December, the United Nations said.

"We are alarmed for the safety and protection of over three million civilians in Idlib," said David Swanson of the UN humanitarian affairs office.