Syria Reports Capture of Airbase in Idlib by Government Forces

Syrian state television reported on Saturday that the country's government forces and their allies have captured a significant airbase in Idlib, continuing their offensive operations into the largest territory controlled by rebels. According to Reuters, Idlib province in northwestern Syria has recently become a focal point of conflict, with government forces capturing numerous villages in the area in recent weeks. Government forces, aided by Iran-backed militias and Russian airstrikes, were advancing towards the Abu al-Duhur military base, which rebels had seized in 2015. The United Nations reported that since early December last year, over 212,000 people have fled their homes in southern Idlib and adjacent areas in Hama and Aleppo due to the escalation of the fighting. Turkey has warned that these attacks will lead to a new wave of migration and has urged the governments of Russia and Iran to halt the Syrian army's offensive in Idlib, which borders Turkey. Idlib has been under rebel control since 2015, and the population of the region has significantly increased due to the influx of fighters and civilians from other areas. Idlib is the largest area under the control of various rebel groups fighting against Bashar al-Assad's regime. Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham, primarily composed of the former al-Nusra Front, is the largest rebel force in Idlib. Syrian state television reported that the Syrian army is discovering mines inside the base and fighting rebels around it. Reuters, citing the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, reported that Syrian government forces and their allied militias captured the airbase after heavy airstrikes. A news agency affiliated with Hezbollah, which fights alongside Syrian government forces, stated that Syrian forces launched an assault on the base hours before the airstrikes, and other pro-government units managed to capture several villages in Aleppo province. The Syrian forces' offensive operations began and continued from multiple fronts. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and Hezbollah-affiliated news networks, on Saturday, Syrian forces advancing from various fronts met each other, resulting in the division of territory controlled by rebels in Idlib. As a result of this advance, part of the rebel forces around the airbase became besieged. Control of this point is held by Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham, while another part is held by ISIS fighters. In the past week, Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham was attacked by ISIS fighters in parts of Idlib. This group has managed to expand its limited territory in Idlib after suffering heavy defeats in central and eastern Syria at the end of last year.