Syrian government troops seize strategic mountain in Latakia

Syrian government troops seize strategic mountain in Latakia

PanARMENIAN.Net - Syrian government forces captured a strategic mountain in the country's northwest on Wednesday, December 16, inching closer to a rebel-held stronghold in the coastal province of Latakia, state media and a monitoring group said, the Associated Press reports.

State TV quoted an unnamed military official as saying that Syrian troops and pro-government gunmen took the Noba Mountain in Latakia early on Wednesday "after destroying the terrorists' positions and fortifications."

Government troops have been on the offensive in different parts of the country under the cover of Russian airstrikes, which began on September 30. Capturing the mountains of Latakia would reduce threats to the coast — a key stronghold of President Bashar Assad.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the taking of Noba Mountain opens the way for government forces toward the rebel-stronghold of Salma. The Observatory said government troops were backed by fighters from Lebanon's militant Hezbollah group, which sided with Assad in Syria's civil war.

In Lebanon, Hezbollah's Al-Manar TV quoted one of its reporters, embedded with Syrian troops, as saying that government forces raised the Syrian flag on the mountain overlooking an array of rebel-held areas in Latakia.

Meanwhile, in the central Syrian city of Homs, a convoy of 18 trucks carrying food, medical supplies and construction material began entering the rebel-held neighborhood of Waer, according to Pawel Krzysiek, a spokesman for the International Committee of the Red Cross.

Krzysiek said the convoy is organized by the ICRC and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent.

An ICRC statement released later Wednesday said it may take several days to deliver all the aid. It said the trucks are bringing in food supplies for 40,000 people and hygiene kits for 60,000 people. In addition, medical items sufficient for 1,000 dialysis sessions for patients with severe kidney problems will also be part of the aid delivered.

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