After scoring substantial gains earlier this week, the Syrian military’s offensive into the Idlib Province appears to have stalled, at least for the time being, s rebel factions have carried out a counter-attack against them.
The focus of the offensive has been capturing the Abu al-Duhur military airbase, which the rebels captured back in mid-2015. Syrian troops had pushed to within just a few miles of the base, but seem not to have gotten any closer.
The rebels are fighting under both the banner of the Free Syrian Army (FSA), and al-Qaeda’s Nusra Front, with the later claiming to have begun to “encircle” the advancing government forces in the area.
The counter-offensive is likely to slow advances on the ground in the interim, though they usually lead to escalations in airstrikes against both the rebel forces, and rebel-held towns in the vicinity of the fighting. Already, some strikes were reported in Idlib towns.
The “rebels” are AQ affiliated TERRORISTS. Mr Ditz, pls read the memo and begin to call it like it is…
Rebels can be terrorists, and terrorists are almost by definition rebels. The distinction you’re obsessed with is your obsession, not a matter of actual earth-shaking importance.