Syrian opposition forces begin Idlib offensive

On Thursday, the Syrian opposition launched an offensive to capture Idlib, bombing Syrian regime forces inside the city and regime checkpoints on its outskirts. A number of regime soldiers were reportedly killed in the early hours of the offensive.

Al-Araby al-Jadeed spoke to Muath al-Abbas, an activist on the ground, who said fighters from a number of opposition groups including Al-Sham Force and Ahrar al-Sham of the Islamic Front, in addition to al-Nusra Front fighters, shelled the so-called security zone of the Syrian regime in Idlib using locally made Jahannam rockets and mortars.

The Islamic Front confirmed the attack on its official Twitter account.

The shelling could last for several days and is a prelude to the battle to "liberate" Idlib.

According to Abbas, the shelling could last for several days, and is a prelude to the battle to "liberate" Idlib that has been the subject of much talk recently, as he said.

In the meantime, the Syrian air force carried out more than 10 air strikes on various targets in the Idlib countryside, including in Sarmin, the site of a recent alleged chlorine attack by the regime, and a number of other villages. Barrel bombs were reportedly dropped by regime helicopters in the towns of Khan Shaikhoun and al-Tamana in the southern Idlib countryside, in addition to shelling the town of al-Nairab. No casualties were reported.

A former Free Syrian Army (FSA) commander, Hani al-Jaaour, criticized the offensive on the city, saying it is a mistake at this time since it could lead to its destruction at the hands of the regime and the displacement of its people. Jaour said the battles should focus instead on regime supply lines outside the cities.

Many residents in Idlib, which is controlled by the regime, are preparing to flee. Around one million people currently live in the city, made up of original residents and refugees who fled from other areas in the Hama, Idlib, and Aleppo governorates because of fighting there.

Living conditions have been deteriorating in the city since the opposition-aligned Islamic Commission, which controls most of Idlib's countryside, imposed a partial siege on the city according to Ibrahim al-Idlebi, a journalist. The Islamic Commission has sought to put pressure on regime forces by cutting off electric and water supply from the city.

In a related development, representatives from the World Food Program in the Turkish city of Gaziantep held a meeting with Syrian relief organizations operating in northern Syria, to discuss preparations for the expected crisis and refugee influx following the start of the offensive in Idlib.

IS attacks regime forces in Sakhneh

The Islamic State group (IS) has pre-empted an attempt by the Syrian army and pro-regime National Defence Forces, as well as loyal tribal forces, to open a road in the direction of the Sakhneh region east of Palmyra and break the siege on Deir al-Zour. The IS raided a number of checkpoints on Thursday night, killing and injuring scores of pro-regime troops, according to local sources.

The sources, quoting eyewitnesses in the town of Sakhneh, said more than 60 IS fighters carried out the raid on regime positions. Two days ago, regime forces had attacked IS fighters west of Deir al-Zour to break the two-months-long IS-imposed siege on regime-held area in the province.

This is an edited translation from our Arabic edition.