DAMASCUS, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- The Syrian army responded on Thursday to a rebel attack in areas the army has recently advanced to in Idlib province, northwestern Syria, state news agency SANA reported.
The army units in Maarat al-Numan city in the southeastern countryside of Idlib were attacked by rebel groups, said SANA, adding that the rebels took advantage of the fog and bad weather to launch the attack.
Intense battles ensued, which led to the destroying of rebel military gears and the killing and wounding of many militiamen, said SANA.
The Syrian army also carried out intensive strikes by missiles and artillery on the rebel positions and supply routes in the countryside of Idlib.
The report said that the Syrian army has succeeded in retaking over 320 sq km of areas in southern Idlib over the past month.
Meanwhile, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that 45 fighters of both the rebels and the army troops were killed during intense battles on the previous day, adding that airstrikes targeted the rebel positions on Maarat al-Numan and its surroundings.
The Syrian army has made notable progress in recent weeks in the battles against the rebels in Idlib, capturing several areas in the quest to liberate the road linking Hama province with Aleppo in the north.
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said recently that the battle against terrorism in Idlib is a priority to the Syrian government.
Assad said the aim behind the battle in Idlib is to eliminate terrorism, adding that counter-terrorism is the priority and comes ahead of anything else.
Idlib has emerged as the main destination of the rebel groups, which have evacuated several positions across Syria after surrendering to the Syrian army.
That province is now considered as the last major rebel bastion in Syria.
Certain parts of Idlib are covered by a de-escalation zones' deal brokered by Russia and Turkey, which backs the rebels.
However, such deals exclude the ultra-radical rebels who are affiliated with the al-Qaida and branded as terrorist groups by the UN.
Jens Laerke, spokesperson for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), told a press briefing on Wednesday that at least 300,000 civilians have fled the Idlib region since the sharp escalation of hostilities in mid-December.
He said several people in Idlib were sheltered in schools, mosques and other public buildings.
A total of 13 health facilities were recently forced to suspend their work, and airstrikes and shelling were taking place in many towns and villages on a daily basis, he added.
Laerke stressed that during armed conflicts, civilians had to be protected in accordance with the international humanitarian law.
