Syrian government captures Strategic Qalaat al-Madiq

The Syrian army has victoriously captured the strategic town in northwest Syria from rebels.

Iran Press/Middle East: Syrian Army units working in Hama countryside destroyed terrorists’ fortifications and hideouts in Qalet al-Madiq in the northern countryside where many of the Jabhat al-Nusra terrorists were killed or injured.

Qalaat al-Madiq was the rebel area closest to the Russian Hmeimim airbase at Latakia, which insurgents have previously targeted with rocket fire.

It was also the entry point into rebel territory for many insurgents and civilians who were evacuated from territory captured by the army under surrender deals negotiated with the government over recent years, reported Iran Press citing Middle East Online.

Local residents said Syrian government forces had captured Qalaat al-Madiq and two nearby villages - Tal Hawash and al-Karkat.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitoring group said rebels had withdrawn there after being nearly encircled by the army.

The fighting has pushed 150,000 civilians from their homes, raising concerns of a new humanitarian crisis in northwest Syria. Some 13 health facilities have been hit in the bombing.

More than 330,000 people have been killed in Syria and millions have been driven from their homes since the conflict began in March 2011, and the infrastructure of the country destroyed.

About 1.2 million Syrian refugees have returned to their homes since September 2015. 104/203

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