DAMASCUS, Nov. 30 (Xinhua) -- Militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and allied opposition factions are advancing in the northern countryside of Hama province in central Syria after capturing key territories in northwestern provinces of Aleppo and Idlib, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said Saturday.
In a significant development, the HTS -- an al-Qaida-linked extremist organization -- and its allies seized Aleppo International Airport on Saturday, the first civilian airport to fall under HTS control, the Britain-based war monitor said.
The rebel militants are now pushing toward Hama, taking control of numerous towns and villages in the northern part of the province concurrently, amid reports of swift retreats by Syrian government forces, according to SOHR.
Pro-government Sham FM radio said the HTS rebels had entered Mork in northern Hama.
The rebel advance has prompted significant shifts among various forces in the region, including the withdrawal of Iranian-backed militias and the repositioning of Kurdish units on the northwestern outskirts of Aleppo, according to SOHR.
Meanwhile, the Syrian Defense Ministry said in a statement Saturday evening that claims about the Syrian army's withdrawal from Hama are unfounded.
"We confirm that units of our armed forces are stationed at their positions in the northern and eastern countryside of Hama province and are fully prepared to repel any potential terrorist attack," it said.
Earlier in the day, the ministry said the Syrian army announced a temporary redeployment of its forces following intense clashes with the HTS and its allies in Aleppo and Idlib.
On Wednesday, a major rebel offensive rocked the western countryside of Aleppo, marking the first significant attack since 2016. The assault has involved a coalition of rebel groups, mainly the HTS, to penetrate government-held territories.
On Friday, the rebels successfully stormed parts of Aleppo after they were driven out of the city in 2016.
In response, the Syrian government, supported by Russia and Iran, launched airstrikes and ground operations to counter the rebel advance. ■
