The Syrian Arab Army (SAA) has beefed up their defenses in northern Latakia, following reports of an imminent jihadist offensive in the Jabal Al-Akrad and Jabal Turkmen regions.
According to a field report from Latakia, the Syrian Arab Army and National Defense Forces (NDF) have reinforced several areas around Jabal Al-Akrad and Jabal Turkmen, with a heavy concentration of troops at the Kinsibba front.
Kinsibba was recaptured by the Syrian Arab Army in 2016 after a fierce battle with the jihadist rebels of Hay’at Tahrir Al-Sham (formerly Jabhat Al-Nusra) and the Free Syrian Army (FSA).
Since retaking Kinsibba, the Syrian Arab Army has heavily fortified this area, as the town itself is highly valued by the rebels due to its territorial advantage.
The jihadist rebels have been reportedly gathering around Jabal Al-Akrad and Jabal Turkmen to launch a big offensive against the Syrian Arab Army and National Defense Forces in this region of Latakia.
This upcoming Hay’at Tahrir Al-Sham offensive is supposed to be in retaliation for the Syrian Arab Army’s operation in southern Syria; however, the jihadists have been increasingly aggressive in this part of Latakia since the Turkish military setup an observation point in Jabal Al-Akrad.