The intense firefights at the Abu Al-Dhuhour Military Airport have not dissipated in the last 48 hours, as the Syrian Al-Qaeda faction “Jabhat Al-Nusra” and their affiliate group “Jund Al-Aqsa” have taken control of the base
Jabhat Al-Nusra and Jund Al-Aqsa have entered the Abu Al-Dhuhour Military Airport; however, news of its complete capture was prematurely announced by social media activists from the Syrian Opposition; it was captured this morning after the Syrian Armed Forces withdrew to the outskirts.
The primary forces combatting the Al-Qaeda militants are Liwaa Suqour Al-Daher (Al-Daher Hawks Brigade), the National Defense Forces (NDF), and the Syrian Arab Army (SAA).
Liwaa Suqour Al-Daher is comprised of local fighters from the Idlib Governorate that have taken up arms against the Islamist rebel factions; this group is led by “Abu Al-Jarrah” – a native of Idlib City that once served in the Syrian Arab Army’s Air Defense unit.
However, much to the surprise of the Al-Qaeda militants, the Abu Al-Dhuhour Military Airport does not only house soldiers from the National Defense Forces, Syrian Air Defense, and Liwaa Suqour Al-Daher; this base also houses civilians from nearby villages that assisted the Syrian Armed Forces.
The civilians inside the Abu Al-Dhuhour Military Airport are mostly from the nearby villages of Abu Al-Dhuhour (west of the airport) and Tal Salmu (south of the airport).
The number of military personnel inside the Abu Al-Dhuhour Military Airport is estimated between 600-700 soldiers.
Photos from the Suqour Al-Daher Brigades show that the Syrian Armed Forces are outside the airport, while only a few men stayed inside to allow for their comrades to withdraw.
