Syrian insurgents have captured four towns in a significant push toward the central city of Hama, opposition activists reported Tuesday. Meanwhile, government forces reclaimed the village of Khanaser, highlighting the fluid and violent nature of Syria's ongoing conflict. 

The insurgents, led by the Salafi-jihadi Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and Turkey-backed fighters, now stand about 10 kilometers from Hama, Syria's fourth-largest city. The offensive has also seen gains in Aleppo and parts of Idlib province in recent days. 

The military operations administration of the insurgents reported killing 50 government soldiers during the capture of Halfaya, Taybat al-Imam, Maardis, and Soran. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights confirmed these gains, while pro-government media reported intense clashes and artillery bombardments in the area. Syrian and Russian air forces have launched heavy airstrikes in response. 

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In a counteroffensive, government forces retook Khanaser, a strategic village on a key road to Aleppo, after losing it last week. 

To the east, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) claimed to have seized seven villages from pro-government forces, a claim denied by Syrian state media, which said the attack was repelled. 

Turkey’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan commented on the rapid insurgent advances, urging Syrian President Bashar Assad to reconcile with opposition groups. However, Assad has consistently labeled all opposition forces as terrorists and rejected political dialogue. 

Turkey, a key supporter of anti-Assad groups, has been working to normalize relations with Syria to address security threats from Kurdish militants and facilitate the return of over 3 million Syrian refugees. Assad demands Turkey withdraw its forces from northern Syria as a precondition for normalization. 

Source: With inputs from wires