DAMASCUS, May 5 (Xinhua) -- The Syrian army said on Sunday that the rebels in and around the northwestern province of Idlib are preparing to launch attacks on the military sites in the neighboring provinces of Latakia and Hama, state news agency SANA reported.
The rebel groups in Idlib are moving more weapons and a large number of militants for the attacks, SANA said.
They are bringing in their reinforcements to the town of Morek in the northern countryside of Hama, it added.
Meanwhile, the rebels fired rockets on the town of Jub Ramleh in the northern countryside of Hama.
According to the state media, the Syrian army responds to attacks by the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front in the countryside of Hama and Idlib almost on a daily basis.
Turkey and Russia brokered a deal last September to impose a demilitarized zone in Idlib and its surrounding areas. However, violations are still being reported frequently, as the extremist groups such as the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) refused to withdraw from the zone.
HTS has expanded and controlled the entire Idlib area, the last major rebel stronghold in Syria.
The Syrian government has repeatedly said Idlib would inevitably return under the government control and the government's patience has limits.
