Syrian opposition recaptures three villages in Idlib as Regime takes control of key city

• The opposition factions took control of the villages of Neirab and Dadekh, which belong to Saraqib, and the village of Qarati.
• Located in southeast Idlib, Saraqib is known as the "gateway" to the province.
• During the operation, the opposition fighters seized a tank, an armored vehicle and a 23-gauge anti-aircraft machine gun.

Syrian opposition forces recaptured three villages in Idlib as the offensive by the Assad regime’s army and Iran-backed foreign terrorist groups is continuing in southern Idlib.

According to local sources, the opposition factions took control of the villages of Neirab and Dadekh, which belong to Saraqib, and the village of Qarati, east of the city, in eastern Idlib countryside, southeast.

During the operation, the opposition fighters seized a tank, an armored vehicle and a 23-gauge anti-aircraft machine gun, and destroyed a tank and two missile bases as well.

Meanwhile, Syrian regime forces entered the strategic town of Saraqib in northwestern Idlib, the last opposition-held region in a renewed push by Bashar al-Assad.

Located in southeast Idlib, Saraqib is known as the "gateway" to the province.

The city was an opposition stronghold and it occupies a strategic location on the junction between the M5 highway which links Damascus to Aleppo and the M4 highway which connects Aleppo to Latakia.

A week ago, Assad regime forces – backed by Russia –seized the town of Maaret al-Numan, which sits on the M5.

In 2017, Turkey, Russia, and Iran held meetings in Astana city in Kazakhstan and announced that Idlib and neighboring cities in the Eastern Ghouta region outside the capital Damascus and the southern cities of Daraa and Quneitra would be de-escalation zones.

But the Assad regime and Iranian-backed terrorist groups launched attacks in violation of the agreements and thanks to Russian air support gained control of these territories with the exception of Idlib city.

In September 2018, Turkey and Russia agreed to turn Idlib into a de-escalation zone where acts of aggression are expressly prohibited. The Syrian regime and its allies, however, have consistently broken the terms of the ceasefire, including a fresh ceasefire on Jan. 12, launching frequent attacks inside the zone and killing at least 1,300 civilians since the agreement.