Rebels retake strategic town in Syria's Latakia in fierce fightback

An array of jihadi groups succeeded early Friday in retaking a strategic town north of the coastal city of Latakia, just four months after the Syrian government forces captured it, a monitor group reported.

The rebels' First Coastal Division, the Turkey-backed Ahrar al-Sham, the Saudi-backed Islam Army, and the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front among other rebel factions, have retaken the town of Kinsabba, which was the last major rebel stronghold to return to the government troops last February in the countryside of Latakia.

The rebels also retook control of around 13 villages in northern Latakia, as part of a wide-scale offensive they unleashed on the northern countryside of Latakia on June 27.

The army forces backed by Russia recaptured Kinsabba last February, in an operation aimed at dislodging the jihadi groups from northern Latakia, the hometown of President Bashar al-Assad and the heartland of the minority Alewite group.

The Russian air force played a key role in restoring Kinsabba and other key rebel strongholds in northern Latakia.

Still, Kinsabba has a special importance as it enables the Syrian army to reach the western countryside of the northwestern province of Idlib, another bastion of the jihadi groups.

Meanwhile, a Syrian military source told Xinhua that the terrorist groups infiltrated into Kinsabba with the aim of controlling it.

He added that battles are still raging in the town between the army and the rebels.

"The military forces will fight to defeat the assailants in Kinsabba and to restore peace to that town," he said on condition of anonymity. Endit