BALADI NEWS
Fierce clashes are taking place in the frontline areas in the eastern countryside of Idlib, between rebels the regime soldiers and loyalists, a Britain-based war monitor reports.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) says that regime forces started a counterattack to regain control of the areas they lost for the factions on Wednesday, Jan. 9.
The clashes are accompanied by intense rocket shelling amid information about more casualties in the ranks of both parties, according to SOHR.
Earlier, SOHR reported that opposition factions and jihadists were able to advance in the area and recaptured the villages of Samakeh, Perseh and Madamumeh, with intensive ground strikes between the two sides, in addition to targeting regime forces vehicles.
Causalities were reported on both sides of the fighting, according to SOHR, as it documented the killing of 19 members of regime forces and loyalists, and 12 fighters of factions, including eight jihadists.
It's noteworthy that these clashes coincide with the visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to Syria and describing the situation in Syria as very good during his meeting with Bashar al-Assad.
Source: SOHR.