Al Qaeda, allies advance on Syrian regime bastion: monitor

April 24, 2015 23:23

Al-Qaeda's Syrian affiliate and other Islamist fighters made gains today in a joint offensive on the last major regime bastion in the northwest province of Idlib, a monitor said.

The assault, which began yesterday, has seen Al-Nusra Front and allied groups seize three checkpoints around the large town of Jisr al-Shughur, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

The town is strategically located near the border with Turkey and along a key route leading west to the regime's stronghold of Latakia province.

"There are very fierce clashes ongoing since the early morning, and intense aerial bombing. The regime has conducted 34 air strikes in the area since Friday morning," Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman told AFP.

He said Al-Nusra Front had launched a wave of suicide attacks on the town's outskirts and sent 15 fighters wearing suicide belts into Jisr al-Shughur itself.

« Back to LIVE

TOP STORIES

In Pictures - Manchester City continue march; Burnley relegated

Manchester City took another decisive step toward an unprecedented fourth successive Premier League title with a 4-0 demolition of Fulham.

IPL PIX: KKR outclass MI; storm into play-offs

Kolkata Knight Riders outclassed Mumbai Indians by 18 runs in the rain-hit IPL 2024 match in Kolkata on Saturday.

Wrestling: Aman seals Paris Olympics quota

Aman Sehrawat is the first Indian male wrestler to secure berth for the Paris Olympic Games

Modi will make Amit Shah PM, finish Yogi politically: Kejriwal

A day after his release on interim bail, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal launched a blistering attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alleging he was on a 'One nation, One leader' mission to impose 'dictatorship' by putting all...

Kejriwal holds first roadshow after his release from jail

Aam Aadmi Party convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday asserted that the Bharatiya Janata Party will not form the government on June 4 and said if the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) comes...