At least 5 people killed and 10 more wounded in Russian airstrikes hit the northern city of Jisr al-Shughour overnight, volunteer rescuing group said.
The civil Defense said Russia have conducted 16 raids on the rebel-held city that neighbors the Alawites-dominated villages in Latakia province. The regime artillery has also pounded the al-Jisr.
A well-informed source told Zaman al-Wasl that about 20,000 fighters loyal to Bashar al-Assad had been mobilized in government-held area sin al-Ghab Plain and Latakia province to launch major offensive on Jisr al-Shughour,
The ongoing battles northeast Hama have delayed the offensive on Jisr-al-Shughour in Idlib province that was planned to begin on March 20, source added.
Meanwhile, more than 40,000 people, mainly women and children, have been displaced by fighting in Hama countryside, the United Nations said Tuesday.
Since a rebel offensive began in the area a week ago, people have fled south and west to Hama city and to other towns nearby and in neighboring districts including Homs, Latakia and Tartous, the United Nations said.
On Monday, the U.S.-led coalition airstrikes on Monday killed 6 people, including senior commander from Haya't Tahrir al-Sham in Idlib, sources told Zaman al-Wasl.
The strike targeted a car carrying Abu Jaber al-Hamwi, senior commander in the powerful alliance that includes former al-Qaeda group, Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, formerly known as Nusra Front, near Sarmada town.
Al-Hamwi was killed with three more fighters from Jaish al-Fateh and two civilians as the U.S.led coalition extended its aerial bombing campaign against Islamist rebels in the northern province
