Syrian War News Updates -- December 29, 2015

Reuters: Syrian army, backed by air strikes, advances toward southern town

Syrian troops backed by heavy aerial bombardment pushed toward a strategic town in the southern province of Deraa on Tuesday after capturing a nearby military base, the army said.

The Syrian army said it retook Brigade 82, one of the largest bases north of the mainly rebel-held town of Sheikh Maskin, whose capture by rebels earlier this year threatened the army's supply routes to the south.

A group monitoring the war said later on Tuesday that insurgents were putting up fierce resistance and that fighting raged on, counting more than two dozen air strikes during the assault.

Syrian War News Updates -- December 29, 2015

Syrian Troops Advance in South and Center, Drive Back Rebels -- AP
Syrian army advances against rebels in south -- AFP
Syria army advances against rebels in south -- News24
Syrian Army Retakes Southern Base From Insurgents -- Haaretz/AP/Reuters
Syrian army recaptures strategic town from IS -- Xinhua News Agency
Dozens killed in Syria blasts, hundreds evacuated -- Sydney Morning Herald
Russian strikes help Syrian rebels free 20 areas from ISIS control -- RT
Russian General Staff: Enlisting Syrian opposition in fight against IS pays off -- TASS
Strikes Continue Against ISIL Terrorists in Syria, Iraq -- US Department of Defense
British air strikes ‘kill ISIS fighters in Syria for the first time’: Militants believed to be inside checkpoint destroyed by Reaper drone on Christmas Day -- Daily Mail
British air strikes 'kill first Isis militants in Syria' as checkpoint near Raqqa blown up on Christmas Day -- The Independent
Vicious Cycle: Rebels 'Cross to Turkey, Rearm, Come Back to Syria' -- Sputnik

Evacuations Aim to Ease Path to Talks in Syria War -- NYT
Hundreds of rebels, civilians evacuated in Syria swap -- DW
Hundreds of fighters and civilians evacuated from three towns in rare ceasefire between Syria's warring sides -- Daily Mail
Syria war: Zabadani rebels evacuated in besieged villages deal -- BBC

Syria: A top rebel's death casts doubt over Bashar al-Assad's intentions -- CNN
In death, Syrian rebel chief haunts peace hopes -- France 24
Strike that killed Syrian rebel chief complicates peace talks push: U.S. -- Reuters
US criticises killing of Islamist rebel in Syria -- Gulf News/Reuters

Turkey's Erdogan meets king in Saudi Arabia for Syria talks -- AP
Turkey’s Erdoğan meets with Saudi King to discuss Syrian conflict -- Today's Zaman