Syria army seizes rebel-held town in Latakia

Pro-government forces overran the last major rebel-held town in Syria's coastal Latakia province yesterday, as the United Nations prepares to host talks this week on ending the country's nearly five-year war.

State television said army forces, working with pro-regime militia, had seized control of the town of Rabia after heavy fighting with rebels.

It was the second strategic victory for pro-regime forces in Latakia in less than two weeks, after government troops seized the town of Salma from rebels on January 12.

"In the coming weeks, we will be able to announce that all of Latakia -- city and province -- is free from armed groups," a Syrian army commander in Latakia told AFP.

Rabia had been held by the opposition since 2012 and was controlled by a range of rebel groups including some made up of Syrian Turkmen, as well as al-Qaeda affiliate Al-Nusra Front.

Armed opposition factions have used northern parts of Latakia province to carry out rocket and bomb attacks on the provincial capital along the coast.

Backed by Russian air power, pro-regime forces are chipping away at that territory in a bid to secure the Assad clan's heartland. Russia's air force has operated out of the Hmeimim military airport in Latakia province since September 30.

The regime's latest advance came as world powers intensify efforts to reach a political solution to Syria's war.