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Terrorist outfits preventing civilians from leaving Syria’s Idlib

A Russian soldier stands guard at the Abu Duhur crossing on the eastern edge of Idlib province on September 25, 2018, as Syrians cross from militant-held areas to government-held areas. (By AFP)

Foreign-backed terrorists positioned in northwestern Syria have for the fourth consecutive week prevented civilians from leaving via the Abu al-Duhur corridor in the province of Idlib, the country’s official news agency says.

The official SANA news agency reported reported on Saturday that the corridor, which was secured by the Syrian army for the safe passage of civilians, had been blocked by terrorist groups over the past 23 days.

The terrorist groups were conducting a round-the-clock patrol to detain fleeing civilians and use them in the northwestern province as human shields, it added.

 Syrian government forces, however, continue to take all measures to receive civilians aiming to leave the terrorist-held areas in Idlib via the corridor, it noted.

Idlib, along the border with Turkey, remains the only large area in the hands of foreign-backed terrorists after the Syrian army, backed by Iran and Russia, managed to wrest back control of almost all of the country's land, undoing militants’ gains.

The so-called National Front for the Liberation of Syria is the main Turkish-backed militant alliance in Idlib region, but Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a coalition of different terror outfits largely composed of the Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, holds a large part of the province.

Damascus government forces have gained more ground against Takfiri militants in the southern edge of Idlib in their latest offensive that was launched in August.

On August 5, the Syrian army declared in a statement the start of an offensive against foreign-sponsored militants in Idlib after those positioned in the de-escalation zone failed to honor a ceasefire brokered by Russia and Turkey and continued to target civilian neighborhoods.

The Syrian army warned civilians to leave Idlib before the campaign began to flush terrorists out of the region.

In a recent interview with the Lebanon-based al-Mayadeen television news network this week, Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem said “every inch” of the Syrian territory will be liberated from terrorists very soon.

 The top Syrian diplomat said terrorists in Idlib had lost "numerous opportunities for the settlement of crisis."

Syria has been gripped by foreign-backed militancy since March 2011. The Syrian government says the Israeli regime and its Western and regional allies are aiding Takfiri terrorist groups wreaking havoc in the country.


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