ALEPPO — On Feb. 6, Syrian regime forces and their Russian-backed militia allies took control of the city of Saraqeb, in the east of Idlib province. It marked a turning point in the military operations against the Syrian opposition in northwestern Syria, as the city is located at the intersection of the strategic M5 (that connects Aleppo to Damascus) and M4 (which connects Aleppo to Latakia) highways — top objectives of the regime.

The opposition’s swift loss of Saraqeb came as a shock for the opposition circles. The regime forces had taken over several villages in the city's countryside along with the city of Maaret al-Numan in southern Idlib on Jan. 28. During the month of December, the opposition lost dozens of villages in the countryside surrounding Maaret al-Numan, forcing thousands to flee their towns due to shelling and fighting.

Regime forces besieged Saraqeb from all sides Feb. 5, and the Turkish troops deployed in its vicinity did not prevent them from entering and taking control of the city.

The regime forces then proceeded with their ground operations toward the north and took control of more opposition-held areas in the eastern Idlib countryside and the southern countryside of Aleppo, all the way to the outskirts of the city of Aleppo.