About 50 Militants Killed In Clashes With Syrian Army In Idlib, Aleppo - Russian Military

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 18th January, 2020) The Syrian Arab Army has eliminated about 50 militants over the past 24 hours while repelling attacks on its positions in the provinces of Idlib and Aleppo, the head of the Russian center for Syrian reconciliation said on Friday.

According to Maj. Gen. Yuri Borenkov, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham terrorist group (formerly known as the Nusra Front, banned in Russia) militants tried to retake the positions of government forces in several areas of Idlib and Aleppo since Thursday evening. The Syrian armed forces have retained their strongholds.

"During the repulsion of the attacks, about 50 militants, seven pickup trucks with mounted heavy machine guns and a 'jihad vehicle' were destroyed," Borenkov said.

In addition, a militant drone struck government positions near the Assad Military academy in the city of Aleppo on Friday. Two Syrian servicemen were killed and four others sustained injuries. In total, clashes with militants over the past 24 hours have killed 12 Syrian troops and injured 24 others, according to the Russian military official.

"Due to the aggravation of the situation, the evacuation of civilians from militant-controlled areas of the Idlib de-escalation zone to the territory controlled by the Syrian government forces was not carried out on January 17," he added.

The current ceasefire regime, in accordance with the agreements reached with Turkey, was introduced in Idlib from January 9.