DAMASCUS, June 24 (Xinhua) -- The Syrian army is sending reinforcements to frontline areas in northwestern Syria while slowing down on the ground offensive, the pro-government al-Watan newspaper reported on Monday.
The army has been sending backup forces to the frontline areas in the northwestern countryside of Hama province in central Syria, said the report.
It noted that the military forces, however, are slowing down on their ground offensive against the rebel of the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front, giving the priority to airstrikes that are destroying the rebels' bastions.
It said the Syrian warplanes are also targeting the rebels of Jaish al-Ezzah in the Jisr al-Shughour area in the southern countryside of Idlib province near Hama's northern countryside.
Areas in the countryside of Hama, Idlib and the western countryside of Aleppo are included in the de-escalation zones deal which was reached between Russia and Turkey in September 2018.
The deal failed to materialize as the al-Qaida-linked groups expanded in Idlib and started attacks on Syrian military positions instead of withdrawing from the designated zone which combines Idlib with Hama and Aleppo countryside as well as mountain areas in the eastern countryside of Latakia province.
