Syria Troops Recaputre Village

BEIRUT (AP) -- Syrian state media and an opposition war monitor say government forces have captured a northwestern village from insurgents.

State news agency SANA said Syrian troops captured Msheirfeh on Sunday after clashes with insurgents, adding that some of them were killed or wounded.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the village was taken by government forces in fighting that left six troops and nine insurgents dead.

Syrian troops launched a four-month offensive earlier this year against the country's last opposition stronghold in Idlib Province, which is dominated by al-Qaida-linked militants.

The government offensive forced hundreds of thousands of civilians to flee their homes. A fragile cease-fire halted the advance at the end of August, but in recent weeks it has been repeatedly violated.

(KR)