Syrian airstrikes kill 20 rebels in Latakia city

Syrian air raids on rebel positions in the coastal city of Latakia in northwestern Syria killed 20 militants, the state news agency SANA reported Sunday.

The Syrian air force carried out a series of airstrikes on the positions of the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front in the northern countryside of Latakia, said SANA, adding that some of those killed were Turkish militants.

Meanwhile, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based watchdog group said several jihadi groups fired several Grad missiles into government troops' positions in the countryside of the town of Qardaha, the hometown of President Bashar al-Assad.

The UK-based watchdog group stopped short of giving further details.

Battles in the northern countryside of Latakia have been raging recently amid heavy government troops' shelling on the rebels positions to keep them from advancing toward Latakia, the heartland of President Bashar al-Assad minority in Syria.

The Nusra Front and likeminded groups who have taken large chunks of the northwestern province of Idlib are threatening that they will keep advancing toward Latakia, as it's close to the western countryside of Idlib. Endit