If one wonders what targets the Russian planes and Syrian air force have been bombing most heavily since Nov. 19, the answer would be the Bayirbucak area, between the northeast of Latakia and west of Aleppo, where about 90,000 Turkmens live and which has been under the control of anti-regime opposition forces, including Turkmens, for the last 3½ years.

Attacks by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's ground forces and Iranian Shiite militias against Turkmen Mountain, which is 15 kilometers (9 miles) from the Turkish border and dominates Latakia and Gimam village in the area of Kizildag to the north, have been ongoing for the past three days at Bayirbucak’s areas of Acisu, Firinlik and Kizildag, with close air support of Russian Su-24s and Su-25s and heavy bombing by Syrian air force MiG-29 planes.

According to information Al-Monitor obtained from local sources, Assad's forces supported by the Russian air force and on the ground by Shiite militias affiliated with Iran’s Zulfiqar Brigade have gained the complete control of Turkmen Mountain, and shifted their offensive toward Kizildag.

The Syrian regime forces are confronted by the Turkmen Sultan Abdulhamid Brigade and Sultan Murad Brigade deployed on Turkmen Mountain. Al-Monitor was told that militants of the Army of Conquest, Ansaruddin Front and about 500 Jabhat al-Nusra fighters have joined the Turkmens.