Syrian Army overlooks Turkish border after seizing key mountaintop

The Syrian Armed Forces continued their rapid advance in the northern countryside of Latakia on Tuesday, seizing a strategic mountaintop that overlooks the Turkish border-crossing that feeds into the Hatay Province.

Led by the Syrian Marines and Desert Hawks Brigade, the Syrian Armed Forces advanced north from the recently captured village of ‘Ayn Al-Bayda to the key mountaintop of Jabal Qal’at, where they were confronted by a large jihadist contingent.

Following a four hour long battle with the jihadist rebels of Jaysh Al-Fateh (Army of Conquest), the Syrian Armed Forces imposed full control over Jabal Qal’at, leaving them only a few kilometers away from the Turkish border-crossing.

With many of their jihadists now fighting in the Aleppo Governorate, Jaysh Al-Fateh has put this Latakia battle on the back-burner in favor of lifting the three-week long siege on the eastern neighborhoods of Aleppo City.