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Assad Advances in Latakia with Russian Support

Pro-government forces, with Russian support, have retaken control of more than 35 villages in the northern Latakia countryside, pushing the opposition back to just a few miles from the Turkish border. If the gains continue, the government may be in position to move against rebel heartland in Idlib.

Written by Saleem al-Omar Published on Read time Approx. 5 minutes

With Russian air support, the Syrian government retook the village of Salma from the opposition last week.

After blocking all exits from the city to trap opposition members within and heavily bombing them, government and Russian forces took the city in several hours.

Syrian army soldiers were not alone this time in the direct combat – Russian soldiers participated in the assault on the city in their first ground operation in Syria.

The opposition forces could not withstand dozens of airstrikes and mortar shells. The constant bombardment prevented opposition fighters from building new defenses, leaving them exposed to Russian and government attacks. Dozens of rebels were killed and injured, and had no reinforcements to support their positions. The opposition pulled its forces out, leaving just 80 fighters inside the city.

According to Ali al-Hafawi, a prominent media activist in the area, seven Russian aircraft launched simultaneous strikes and destroyed all defenses.

“No one can stand up against this heavy bombardment of mortar shells and cluster bombs. Our only option was to retreat,” Hafawi said. “In the following days, we attempted to advance toward the city, and the rebels successfully carried out some guerrilla operations. They captured an officer from the Alawite city of Mesyaf and killed dozens of the regime forces. However, Russia sent ground troops in along with the aircraft.”

News agencies published photos of Russian troops patrolling the city of Salma. According to Lieutenant Colonel Mohamed Hamado, a Syrian military expert, Russian troops aim to establish a presence in Salma, and possibly plan to build a military installation in addition to their air base on the coast. Doing so would secure the mountains against opposition forces, where rebels launch Grad missiles on the outskirts of Salma. Government and Russian forces are exposed in the Turkmen mountains – the stronghold of the Turkmen minority – because opposition forces use the terrain to launch missiles at government forces before retreating.

To secure its position, the government not only retook control of Salma but also many surrounding villages, including: al-Marouneyat, al-Hour, Ara, Wadi Azraq, Dwerka, Kafr Delba, Tertyah and Marj Khokha. Control of these villages cuts off all opposition access to Salma, which was a major base of operations. The fighting did not stop there. Government and Russian forces took Rabia village using the same tactics used on Salma – heavy bombardment coupled with the cutting off of all routes out of the village. The opposition has not been able to stand up against this tactic, and with it the government has retaken much of the Latakia countryside and pushed opposition forces back after opposition gains made in 2015.

This winter the opposition has not been able to take advantage of the weather conditions the way it has in previous years. In past years, rain, fog and low temperatures hindered the government’s ability to fly and bomb opposition-held territory. However, these weather conditions do not prevent the advanced Russian aircraft from shelling the opposition.

“We lack any anti-aircraft or sophisticated weapons to stop the Russian airstrikes. Numerous rebels were killed due to these strikes. We did not have any options and the situation has deteriorated. We had to retreat to the (Syrian–Turkish) border areas, to protect civilians in the camps. We will try to prevent the regime and Russia from reaching these areas. We will depend on Turkish support in protecting their side of the border,” said Abu Khaled, a field officer with the Free Syrian Army (FSA).

“Friends of Syria have not provided us with any sophisticated weapons. They have given us what keeps us alive, dozens of meals, but no anti-aircraft weaponry. In contrast, Assad has received state-of-the-art aircraft and weapons, and the result is clear,” he added.

Government forces with Russian support have gained control of more than 35 villages in the Latakia countryside, pushing the opposition back to just a few miles from the Turkish border. According to Abu Khaled, even those areas are not safe from Russian strikes. Russian planes are regularly seen flying overhead.

Pro-government fighters have also gained control of large areas of the road connecting Aleppo and Latakia, extending all the way to Bashoura. According to Ali al-Hafawi, if the opposition lost Bashoura, the government would be able to advance toward the city of Jisr al-Shughour, which has been under opposition control since May 2015.

The Army of Conquest (Jaish al-Fateh), a coalition of opposition groups, took control of Idlib city and pushed into the Latakia countryside last summer. If the government takes Bashoura and then Jisr al-Shughour, it would be able to move against the cities of Ariha and Idlib, threatening the heart of the Army of Conquest’s territory.

Realizing that its position is threatened, the Army of Conquest sent support to the Turkmen mountains in Latakia to try to stop the regime’s advance. Despite sending seven tanks and dozens of medium and light weapons, it failed to stop government advances. The Russian army stepped up its support to the government, deploying missile launch pads in Latakia, as al-Arabiya news photographed. The Nusra Front attempted to join the battle at a later point, but failed to change the tide.

Expanding battle lines in the Latakia countryside have been a catastrophe for local residents. Many had settled behind the front lines, thinking that the fighting had moved beyond them, only to be displaced again when the government began retaking territory. Many civilians do not see a way to return to their homes, saying that government fighters have ransacked their houses and villages.

“We cannot return to our villages now. We will be met with bullets from (pro-government) fighters, killing us. Then the regime media will present us as terrorists, as it has done for five years now. Only a crazy person would return now,” said Abu-Salem, an elderly resident in the area.

Pro-government fighters have pushed the opposition back, locking them in a small area so that the rebels can no longer carry out large attacks on government positions in Latakia or the Russians’ coastal base. Opposition forces are not confident that Turkey will offer any support against Russian strikes, and so have limited their activities to protecting themselves and the civilians in the border zone. If opposition forces try to advance, they will be leaving their defensive positions and exposing themselves to danger.

Recently, Russian aircraft began flying low over the camps to terrorize the civilians who are fleeing to the Syrian–Turkish border, causing some people to pack their belongings again. Some are heading to the areas west of Idlib, hoping it will provide at least minimum safety.

The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Syria Deeply.

This article was originally published by the Atlantic Council and is reprinted here with permission.

Top image: Syrian troops stand at a pickup truck in a street in Salma, Syria, on Friday, Jan. 22, 2016. Syrian government forces relying on Russian air cover have recently seized the town of Salma, located in Syria’s province of Latakia, from militants.(Associated Press)

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