On Wednesday, the Syrian Arab Army’s Special Forces – in coordination with the National Defense Forces (NDF) and Mouqawama Souri (Syrian Resistance) – entered the Syrian Opposition stronghold of Al-Rabiya’ for the first time in three years.

Operations at Al-Rabiya’ began on Wednesday morning, when the SAA’s Special Forces broke-through the FSA-affiliated – Coastal Brigades – frontline defenses, overrunning their positions before declaring full-control over Tal Yeshua in the Zahiya Mountains of northern Latakia.

Directly following the control of Tal Yeshua, the SAA and their allies stormed Points 767 and 803 in the Zahiya Mountains, killing 28 militants from the Coastal Brigades and the Syrian Al-Qaeda group “Jabhat Al-Nusra” – they were able take control of these points after fierce clashes forced the Islamist forces to withdraw to the village of Al-Rabiya’.

The SAA and their allies entered the rebel fortress of Al-Rabiya’ after taking control of a number of hills surrounding the village to the east.

Similar to Salma and Doreen, Al-Rabiya’ was considered untouchable to the SAA and NDF for much of this Syrian Conflict; however, the tide turned in northern Latakia after Jabhat Al-Nusra lost control of Tal Doreen and the village itself.

If the Islamist forces lose Al-Rabiya’; it could prove to be one of the SAA’s most decisive victories in this war, due to the Turkish border-crossing’s vicinity to the village itself.