Syrian army capture town in Idlib near Turkish base

DAMASCUS - The Syrian army on Wednesday captured several areas in Idlib province in northwestern Syria, including the Tal Toukan area where a Turkish military base is located, a military source told Xinhua.

The Idlib-based military source, asking not to be named, said the Syrian army will continue in the operation in Idlib until securing the road connecting the capital Damascus in the south with Aleppo province in the north via Idlib.

"The victories and progress are ongoing and we will keep going forward until capturing the highway," the source said.

The army's progress toward Tal Toukan comes as part of the overall progress happening in Idlib, as the army is advancing toward the strategic city of Saraqeb.

Earlier in the day, state news agency SANA said the Syrian army gave the rebels in Saraqeb city a chance to lay down their weapons and surrender.

The Syrian army said in a statement the rebels are besieging the civilians in Saraqeb, noting that these armed men have the chance to lay their weapons down and embark on reconciliation with the government.

The statement said this is the last chance for the rebels.

The main goal behind the Syrian military operation that has been lasting over the past few weeks is to secure the Damascus-Aleppo road.

The progress toward Saraqeb comes days after the Syrian forces captured the city of Maarat al-Numan in the southern countryside of Idlib, which was the first big achievement toward securing the main Damascus-Aleppo highway.