Escalation targets the west of Syria and more than 65 airstrikes target Lattakia mountains and the adjacent countryside west of Idlib Province, kill and injure about 20 citizens

Areas in the northeastern countryside of Latakia and the adjacent western countryside of Idlib, are witnessing intense air and ground bombardment and shelling by warplanes and the regime forces, where the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitored the warplanes carrying out at least 65 airstrikes targeting several places in areas in the northern countryside of Latakia and other areas in towns and villages of Mahmbel, al-Rami. Bsonqul, Frika, al-Bashiriyya, Aynata, Kanisat Bani Ezz, Nakhlah, Urem al-Joz, al-Qiyasat, al-Kastan, and Meshmeshan in the western countryside of Idlib, and the intensive air bombardments is accompanied by artillery and rocket shelling by the regime forces on the aforementioned areas, and on other areas in the vicinity of Jisr al-Shughur city and the villages of Ayn al-Asafir and al-Kfir in the western countryside of Idlib, which killed 3 citizens including 2 women and injured 16 others with varying severity, including a member of the Civil Defense.

This escalation comes after heavy losses for the regime forces last night, after a surprise attack by the factions on their positions in the northern countryside of Latakia, where the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights published hours ago that the number of casualties continues to rise as a result of the violent attack in the northern mountains of Latakia, which was carried out factions operating in the area, where it rose to 27 at least, the number of members of the regime forces and militiamen loyal to them -including 8 officers-, who were killed in the shelling and violent clashes in Atirah area near the Syrian border with Iskenderun yesterday night Monday, the 9th of July 2018, also the violent and sudden attack of the factions caused wounded more than 40 other members of the regime forces and their allies, and the death toll is expected to rise because there are some members still in critical situation, also the clashes caused casualties in the ranks of the attacking factions.

Intersected sources confirmed to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights that the factions managed through their sneak attack to achieve an advancement, and forced the regime forces to withdraw from positions were under their control in Atirah area, and the clashes were accompanied by intense exchange of targeting in clashes areas between both parties, where this is considered the most violent attack in terms of its power since almost 2 years, while it is considered the largest attack in terms of number of casualties since about 3 years, while a state of waiting prevails the northern mountains of Latakia for the future developments of the situation.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights published on the 3rd of June 2018 that it monitored explosions that shook areas in the Latakia mountains in the northern countryside of the city, caused by raids by warplanes on places in Kabbaneh area in Jabal al-Akrad in the northern countryside of Latakia, but no information about casualties until the moment, this comers after more than 30 days of absence from the area, where warplanes were the warplanes last targeted the area on the 2nd of May 2018, where this aerial targeting comes in the wake of attacks by Hurras al-Dien faction on Saturday, on sites of the regime forces and militiamen loyal to them in Ard al-Wata area in Jabal al-Akrad, where violent clashes took place between both parties, accompanied by exchange of targeting between the regime and the faction of Hurras al-Dien, which defected previously from Hayyaat Tahrir al-Sham which swore allegiance to al-Qaida, which in late April 2018  had carried out with its allied factions attacks against the regime forces in the northern countryside of Hama, also Latakia mountains witnessed during the past days and weeks missile and artillery shelling by the regime forces and the factions, these successive targeting have caused casualties, where the Syrian Observatory documented the death of 6 fighters at least of the factions operating in the Latakia mountains, they were killed in the shelling that took place on the 28th of May 2018, in addition to the fall of casualties in the ranks of the regime forces during factions’ targeting for their positions and the positions of the gunmen loyal to them, also these mountains have witnessed attacks by factions that killed at least 11 members of the regime forces and militiamen loyal to them, including a lieutenant, after a sudden and violent attack by fighters of Hayyaat Tahrir al-Sham and other factions operating in the northern countryside of Latakia, targeting sites of the regime forces in Tal Rashu area in the northern mountains of Latakia, also the attack that took place dawn of the 20th of April 2018, had injured members and officers of the regime forces with varying severity.