Syrian troops evacuate NW airbase

Syrian forces have evacuated a northwestern airbase, which fell to the rebels after a two-year siege, the state-run TV said Wednesday.

The Syrian air force evacuated the besieged military airport of Abu al-Duhur in northwestern province of Idlib to another military post, the TV said, adding that the base corps have defended the airfield over the past two year of siege.

The Abu al-Duhur airbase, located in a town under the same name, was one of the very few remaining government strongholds in Idlib, the rest of which have largely fallen to the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front.

The rebels have laid siege to the airfield for over two years and supplies for the troops have to be airdropped by helicopters.

The Syrian military forces have lost large numbers of airbases across the country to jihadi groups, but facilities in those airbases had been removed by the air force.
   Xinhua - globaltimes.cn
  9/9/15
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