The Syrian Arab Army has fully linked up its two fronts in Aleppo and Idlib provinces after capturing two final towns north of the Abu Duhur military airport, Al-Masdar News reports.

Military-affiliated sources said on Friday, February 2 that troops of the Syrian army’s elite Tiger Forces Division seized the towns of Ziyart Samaan and Tal Mamou in southwest Aleppo province.

The latest advance has seen the elite formation meet up with Syrian Army Republican Guard units at the nearby town of Kafr Haddad (itself being captured in recent days) and thus merge what was once technically two separate operations by two different battle-groups into a single front.

Moreover, the seizure of Ziyart Samaan and Tal Mamou brings the total number of towns and villages reclaimed by pro-government forces in the area of the Idlib-Aleppo provincial border to almost 30 since they re-started offensive operations with the support of heavy aerial bombardment by Syrian and Russian warplanes three days ago.