Insurgents in Syria seize hospital from army - monitor

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Insurgents on Friday seized a hospital from Syrian government forces who had been besieged there since late April, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported, compounding recent setbacks for President Bashar al-Assad. The al Qaeda-linked Nusra Front, one of the insurgent groups involved in the offensive, said government forces had fled the hospital outside the town of Jisr al-Shughour in Idlib province. "The Mujahideen (holy warriors) are pursuing them," a Twitter feed affiliated to the group reported. The Observatory said dozens of Syrian troops had managed to escape, and the insurgents were in complete control of the hospital. Syrian officials could not immediately be reached for comment. Jisr al-Shughour is seen as strategically important because of its proximity to the Mediterranean coastal areas that form the heartland of Assad's minority Alawite sect. Assad said on May 6 the army would reinforce the besieged troops at the Jisr al-Shughour hospital, describing them as heroes. The Observatory reported heavy fighting overnight in the area in what appeared to be an effort by the Syrian military and allied militia to advance and break the siege. Syrian war planes mounted at least 22 air strikes in the area, with helicopters dropping barrel bombs, it said. Assad has lost wide areas of Idlib province to insurgents since late March, when the provincial capital fell to the rebels. The government has also just lost wide areas of central Syria to the Islamic State militant group. Islamic State seized the ancient city of Palmyra, or Tadmur, on Wednesday