MOSCOW, August 27. /TASS/. Militants in Syria’s Idlib governorate attempted to break through the defenses of the government army but had to retreat losing up to 18 men, Vadim Kulit, deputy chief of the Russian Center for Reconciliation of the Opposing Parties in Syria (a division of the Russian defense ministry), said on Sunday.

"Militants of the Turkestan Islamic Party terrorist group (outlawed in Russia), backed by mortar and artillery fire, attempted to break through the line of defense of the Syrian government troops near the settlement of Mellaja in the Idlib governorate. The attack was repelled. Government troops retained their positions and eliminated up to 18 extremists," he said.

He also said that four shelling attacks on the position of government forces from the positions of the Jabhat al-Nusra terrorist group (outlawed in Russia) were reported during the day. Apart from that, a militants’ drone dropped an explosive device on the positions of government troops near the settlement of Maar-Shamsha in the Idlib governorate, wounding two Syrian soldiers.