Assad forces step up ground assaults in Turkmen areas

HATAY, Turkey

Forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad launched heavy attacks Wednesday against Kizildag, a strategic part of the Turkmen town of Bayirbucak in Syria’s northwestern Latakia province.

Regime forces used mortars and artillery weapons in a move to retake control of Kizildag.

On Tuesday, Turkmen fighters had taken control of the area, known as Jabal al-Ahmar in Arabic, from regime forces, according to Mustafa Abdullah, spokesman for the Turkmen Sultan Abdulhamid Han Brigades.