LATEST: Insurgents “Close to Liberation” of Last Major Regime Position in Southern Idlib Province

FRIDAY FEATURE

Insurgents have renewed their assault on Assad forces inside Aleppo Central Prison, including an attack with a vehicle-borne suicide bomb.

Opposition fighters briefly moved into part of the complex two weeks ago, freeing hundreds of detainees. Syrian forces, supported by airstrikes with barrel bombs, regained control but opposition forces have remained on the perimeter of the complex.

Insurgents see the takeover as more than a military objective. The timing of the latest attacks, which began on Wednesday, was dictated in part by fears of the deaths of inmates from ill-treatment and malnutrition.

Sources say the main entrance to the prison has been damaged and regime outposts have been seized, but there is no confirmation that opposition fighters are again inside the complex.

Insurgents “Close to Liberation” of Last Major Regime Position in Southern Idlib Province

Sources report that insurgents are close to the capture of the Khan Sheikhoun base, the last regime stronghold in southern Idlib Province in northwestern Syria.

If the insurgents take the town, it will threaten regime lines of supply and reinforcements to its Wadi al-Dayf and Hamidiya bases, near Maarat al-Numan, in northern Idlib Province.

Claims are also circulating that insurgents have forced the Islamic State of Iraq and as-Sham out of Idlib, with ISIS fighters retreating to northern Lattakia Province.

Video: Friday Protest in Kafranbel

The Friday protest in Kafranbel in northwest Syria links the need to remove President Assad with the “extremist” threat inside the country:

Video: Friday Protest in Aleppo

Demonstrators in the Bustan al-Qasr section of Aleppo, challenging recent truces between Assad forces and insurgents near Damascus:

Assessing Iran’s Military Support for Assad

Reuters reports on Iran’s military support for the Assad regime, using an assessment and quote from EA WorldView:

The evidence indicates hundreds of Iranian advisers and trainers were inside Syria at any one time.

“They are trying to work with the Syrians in ramping up the number of (Syrian) troops they can put in the field and making sure those guys can hold the line as well as carry out certain offensive operations.”

2nd Media Activist Killed in 2 Days

Media activist Trad Azzuhoori has died from injuries suffered while covering battles in the Qalamoun region, where Syrian regimes have been waging an offensive.

The moment Azzuhoori was struck by a shell while filming:

A tribute to Azzuhoori’s work:

Earlier this week, fellow activist Muhammad Fawwaz Hayel Alakhras was slain in Nawa in Daraa Province. A third citizen journalist died last week.