The Syrian army captured several towns in the eastern countryside of the Idlib Governorate on Wednesday, February 5, following the militants’ refusal to lay down arms in the region, Al-Masdar News reports.

Led by the 5th Corps, the Syrian troops resumed their push west towards the strategic city of Saraqib on Wednesday, seizing at least five towns from the militants of Hay’at Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) and their allies from the Turkish-backed National Liberation Front (NLF).

According to a field report from Idlib, the Syrian Army captured the towns of Zamar, Jazraya, Uthmaniyah Al-Kabeerah, Islameen, and Abu Al-Khashah east of Saraqib.

The advance by the 5th Corps comes just a day after they resumed their offensive near the imperative town of Abu Jarif, which is in the eastern countryside of the Idlib Governorate.