Russia has sent special forces in recent days to fight alongside Syrian army troops struggling to make gains in a more than two-month assault in north western Syria to seize the last opposition bastion, said Captain Naji Mustafa, spokesman for the Turkey-backed National Liberation Front (NLF) coalition of rebel factions.
They said although Russian officers and troops had been behind front lines directing the operations, using snipers and firing anti-tank missiles, this was the first time Moscow had sent ground troops on the battlefield in the campaign that began at the end of April.
Russian ground forces entered the battle with government forces to seize the strategic Humaymat hilltops in northern Hama that fell into rebel hands last week, regaining it after previous successive attempts by the army failed.
More than two months of Russian-backed operations in and around Idlib province have yielded little or nothing for Russia and its ally President Bashar al Assad.
It is a rare case of a military campaign that has not gone in Russia’s favour since it intervened in 2015.
Via Reuters
13th May 2026
The European Commission is considering a major restructuring of one of its oldest departments as President Ursula von der Leyen seeks more direct control over EU spending.
The Directo...
13th May 2026
Britain will introduce legislation to strengthen its ties with the European Union, as Prime Minister Keir Starmer prioritises mending economic relations with the bloc as he tries to sta...
13th May 2026
Updated 1100
Tougher Enforcement Measures Introduced in Tourism Hotspots: Government has announced a series of new enforcement measures targeting noise, disorder and short-let accommo...
12th May 2026
Updated
Government Unveils Healthcare Masterplan for New Gozo Hospital and St Luke’s Overhaul: Health Minister Jo Etienne Abela announced a long-term healthcare masterplan including a...
28th April 2026
The European Parliament has thrown its weight behind demands for a bigger long-term EU budget, approving its position for negotiations on the bloc’s next seven-year financial framework f...
25th April 2026
Disinformation is no longer spreading only through fringe actors or political agitators, but through a digital system that rewards outrage, sensationalism and engagement above accuracy, ...
12th May 2026
Electrolux plans to lay off 1,700 people in Italy, more than 40% of its workforce in the country, and close one of its plants there, Italian trade unions said on Monday.
The Swedish ...
12th May 2026
Ship operators rely on a sludgelike substance known as bunker fuel to keep vessels running. The Iran war ‘s closure of the Strait of Hormuz has choked off the supply of this fuel that po...
14th April 2026
“A company’s workplace culture praised by management, needs to be taken with caution. But when the recognition comes directly from employees, that carries greater weight,” says JONATHAN ...
14th April 2026
EU lawmakers have approved new rules aimed at strengthening how failing banks are managed, extending protections to a wider range of institutions and depositors across the bloc.
The p...
7th May 2026
The regeneration project of Birgu’s main square by Studjurban completed last year, gained further international attention with a Special Mention award at the internationally recognised A...
6th May 2026
Malta Public Transport has launched a new digital signage system across key transport hubs in Malta and Gozo, providing passengers with real-time travel information. The system has been ...
8th May 2026
The United States launched what it described as “self-defense” strikes against Iranian military targets after three US Navy destroyers came under attack in the Strait of Hormuz, sharply ...
6th May 2026
French shipping giant CMA CGM reported that its vessel San Antonio was attacked while passing through the Strait of Hormuz, leaving several crew members injured and the ship damaged. The...
25th February 2026
Thousands of Cuban security personnel have begun leaving Caracas after nearly two decades in Venezuela, as Washington ramps up efforts to dismantle the long standing alliance between the...
9th February 2026
María Corina Machado is a prominent figure in Venezuela’s opposition. She has reported that one of her closest associates, Juan Pablo Guanipa, was abducted. This occurred mere hours afte...
12th May 2026
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said that Russia has no intention of ending the more than four-year-old war with his country and Kyiv was preparing for further attacks.
Zelen...
28th April 2026
Ukraine struck Russia’s oil infrastructure in the Black Sea port city of Tuapse for the third time in a month, local authorities said Tuesday.
The city, which declared an environmenta...