Syrian forces eye rebel-held province after defeat of Islamic State | The Indian Express

Syrian forces eye rebel-held province after defeat of Islamic State | The Indian Express

Syrian forces eye rebel-held province after defeat of Islamic State

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which monitors the fighting through a network of activists, says that some 43 civilians, 57 militants and 46 pro-government forces have been killed since the offensive led by al-Hassan began on Dec. 25.

By: AP | Beirut | Published: January 7, 2018 2:22 pm

In this photo provided by the Syrian anti-government activist group, Edlib Media Center, EMC shows Syrian citizens load their belongings at a pickup, as they flee their house which attacked by Russian airstrikes, in Tel al-Toukan village, eastern Idlib province, Syria. (Edlib Media Center via AP)

Syrian government forces and allied militiamen are advancing on the largest remaining rebel-held territory in the country’s north, forcing thousands of civilians to flee toward the border with Turkey in freezing winter temperatures. The offensive on Idlib — a large province in northwestern Syria packed with civilians and dominated by al-Qaida-linked militants — was expected after the defeat of the Islamic State group late last year. Last week, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said the main military operations against IS in Syria have ended and signaled that the focus would shift to al-Qaida-linked militants.