The Syrian Al-Qaeda group “Jabhat Al-Nusra” – in coordination with Jund Al-Aqsa – has resumed their offensive at the isolated Abu Al-Dhuhour Military Airbase in the Idlib Governorate’s eastern countryside after almost four months of small skirmishes with the Syrian Armed Forces near the airport’s southern perimeter.
On Sunday afternoon, the Al-Qaeda affiliates surprised the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) and Liwaa Abu Al-Daher (local milita) with a powerful assault that targeted the southern gates of the Abu Al-Dhuhour Military Airbase from their positions at the nearby village of Tal Salmu.
Following the initial assault on the southern gates, another wave of Jabhat Al-Nusra militants stormed the southern gates to provide their embattled comrades more ground support; this paid off, as they were able to destroy the dilapidated barriers protecting the airport’s southern perimeter.
However, as the Islamist rebel fighters attempted to enter the southern entrance to the Abu Al-Dhuhour Military Airbase, they came under intense gunfire from the Syrian Armed Forces, which was followed by a series of aerial attacks by the Syrian Arab Air Force’s Hind Helicopters.
The resistance proved successful for the Syrian Armed Forces protecting the Abu Al-Dhuhour Military Airbase, as the Islamist rebels of Jabhat Al-Nusra and Jund Al-Aqsa withdrew from the southern gates in order to evade the violent onslaught of gunfire clouding their entrance into the airport.
Despite their withdrawal earlier today, reports from the battlefield have confirmed that Jabhat Al-Nusra and their allies have once again launched another assault on the Abu Al-Dhuhour Military Airbase; however, no further details were provided.