Syrian rebels advance in Latakia as regime plane 'downed'

Rrebels captured several strategic positions near regime stronghold of Latakia, allowing them to launch assault on Salma, a key regime-held town, as a warplane was reportedly shot down near Damascus.

MENA

2 min read

The New Arab

01 July, 2016

Syrian rebels are still able to mount successful attacks despite regime gains [Anadolu]

Syrian rebels affiliated to the Islamist Jaish al-Fatah and the Free Syrian Army have seized the strategic town of Kinsabba along with several hills in Jabal al-Akrad north of Latakia.

The advances come as part of Operation Yarmouk launched by the rebels on Wednesday, according to local sources.

"Rebel factions seized Kinsabba on Friday morning along with the strategic hills of Sheikh Youssef and Qalaat Shalaft, following heavy fighting with regime forces and allied militias," Tarek Abdul-Haq, local activist, told The New Arab.

"Kinsabba's importance lies in that it overlooks the Aleppo-Latakia highway, a key rebel supply line in the Latakia countryside and a gateway to Jabal al-Akrad," he added, saying that regime batteries had been shelling from the town nearby villages in Idlib, Latakia and Hama.

The rebels are now in a position to launch an assault on the strategic town of Salma, which the regime had recaptured with Russian support earlier this year.

The rebels are now in a position to launch an assault on the strategic town of Salma, which the regime had recaptured with Russian support earlier this year

Meanwhile on Friday, a Syrian regime warplaned crashed near Damascus. Syrian state media claimed the crash was caused by a technical fault but Syrian rebels said they had downed the plane and captured its pilot, who had ejected.

A spokesman for Jaish al-Islam rebels, who control territory on the Syrian capital's eastern and northeastern outskirts, circulated a photo they said showed the captured pilot.

Rebels shot down two warplanes earlier this year. The Syrian government said one of them was downed by an anti-aircraft missile, but rebels said they used anti-aircraft guns.

Anti-aircraft missiles have long demanded by foreign-backed rebels against raids by Syrian and Russian forces, but the rebels are not known to be in possession of sophisticated anti-aircraft systems.