Backed by Russian air support, Syrian regime forces infiltrated areas controlled by opposition factions in the northwestern province of Idlib, for the first time since the regime launched an operation about a month ago by advancing into the last opposition stronghold and unleashing a wave of intense bombing.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Tuesday regime forces and local factions were violently clashing on the outskirts of al-Qassabiyyeh in the countryside of Idlib's south.
It said government forces were able to advance into the towns of al-Humayrat, Hardana, Qiratah, and al-Qaroutiyyah.
In September 2018, several areas in the countryside of Hama, Idlib and the western countryside of Aleppo were included in a de-escalation zone deal, signed between Russia and Turkey to avert a regime offensive against the last opposition-held stronghold in the war-torn country.
However, since regime forces launched their offensive on the Idlib area, at least 1,098 were reportedly killed, the Observatory said.
Around 1,246 people were killed between April 20 and June 4, including 94 children and 94 women killed in Russian air strikes and regime shelling on areas in Aleppo, Hama, Latakia and Idlib.
Separately, local sources said a brigadier general, who is a commander of the Syrian army's 15th Division of al-Suwaida province, was killed on Tuesday.
Jamal Al-Ahmad was shot by unidentified gunmen on Tareeq al-Hajj west of the province.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack.
