MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 17th January, 2020) Around 150 militants tried to attack positions of the Syrian army in the province of Idlib but the attempt was not successful, Maj. Gen. Yuri Borenkov, the head of the Russian center for Syrian reconciliation, said.
On December 19, the Syrian army launched a new military operation in Idlib. The ceasefire, which was agreed by Russia and Turkey, entered into force on January 12.
"On January 15, up to 150 people with about 20 pickup trucks equipped with heavy machine guns once again tried to launch an offensive on the Syrian army's positions ... in the province of Idlib," Borenkov said at a press briefing on late Thursday.
He stressed that the attack had been repelled by the Syrian forces and the militants retreated to their positions.
According to Borenkov, militants have staged nine attacks on the Syrian army and shelled settlements 264 times since the ceasefire entered into force.
"Obviously, the activities of terrorist units are aimed at undermining the ceasefire to prevent political settlement and retain their positions in Syria," the Russian military official added.
Idlib is the last stronghold of militants in the Arab republic. According to Syrian President Bashar Assad, liberating Idlib is essential to putting an end to the nation's civil conflict.
