Syrian Government Forces Gain Control of Second Largest Town in Idlib

Smoke billows following reported bombardment by Syrian regime forces on the outskirts of Maarat al-Numan, in the northwestern Syrian province of Idlib, on Jan. 26, 2020. Omar Has Kadour/AFP via Getty Images

Syrian government forces entered a key town south of Idlib city on Jan. 28 as President Bashar al-Assad pushes with his campaign to recapture rebel-held territory in the country’s northwest, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

Government forces stormed the town of Maarat al-Numan with a three-pronged attack, entering from the south, west, and eastern sides and backed by intense Russian airstrikes, SOHR said.