"How hard it was to liberate, and how easily cities surrender now": Syrian army loses Maaret al-Numan
There are reports coming from Syria that militants have taken control of another city. It is reported that government units have abandoned Maaret al-Numan under enemy pressure. It is located in the northeast of Idlib province, most of which has already come under the control of the HTS group (*a terrorist organization banned in Russia).
What is noteworthy in this case is the fact that one of the key Syrian highways, the M5, passes through Maaret al-Numan. It connects the country's largest city, Aleppo, with the capital, Damascus, passing virtually through the entire country, including the administrative centers of the Hama and Homs provinces.
Saraqib, lost by Bashar al-Assad's army, is also located on this road.
Accordingly, there is a clear plan on the part of the enemy – to take control of the country’s key transport route and effectively cut off the north of the country for the SAR army.
Next on the path of the militants advancing along this road is the city of Khan Sheikhoun, the liberation of which, like the liberation of Saraqib, came at a high price. As one of the soldiers of the Syrian army stated:
How hard it was for cities to be liberated, and how easily they are surrendering now
As of now, the main question regarding Syria is probably whether the government army has the strength, means and, most importantly, the desire and courage to maintain control over the country's territory. Or could the situation with the collapse of the front in the provinces of Idlib and Aleppo spread to other regions of the republic?
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