ALEPPO — Syrian rebels backed by Turkey claim to have retaken the key town of Saraqeb in northwestern Idlib province today in what would be a major blow to Damascus following the government forces' latest offensive on the last rebel-held territory in the country.

A Russian military source denied the rebels' claims and said the Syrian government forces had repelled the attack.

During the latest round of military operations, launched Feb. 23 in south Idlib, Syrian government forces and their allied Iranian fighters made significant progress. Most importantly, they had seized Saraqeb and advanced toward the Jabal Zawiya area, which includes dozens of villages and towns under opposition control. The operation's later stages aim to reach the strategic M4 highway that connects Aleppo to the port town of Latakia.

On Feb. 26, the regime forces took control of 16 villages and towns in the southern countryside of Idlib, the most important being the town of Kafr Nabl. The regime’s ground offensive is backed by heavy air and ground shelling targeting opposition sites in towns near the front lines. Shelling also hit the Jabal Zawiya area and Idlib city, in addition to a number of densely populated towns, causing many civilian casualties.