Syria - Recent

Storyline:
China Central Television (CCTV) takes rare footage on the front line between Syrian government forces and opposition forces in Idlib province, the first access to this area since 2017.

Since a 2017 ceasefire deal, the Syrian government had not allowed foreign media into this opposition stronghold, thus making the CCTV crew this time the only foreign media to gain access in years.

The Syrian government now controls nearly 70 percent of its territory, including some areas in the northwestern province of Idlib, that was taken as headquarters of Syrian opposition forces.

Idlib's provincial capital has relocated to Khan Shaykhun city under government control, alongside Maarat al-Numan and Saraqib, according to local official.

The crew continued to head north from Khan Shaykhun for Maarat al-Numan, which is closer to the frontline.

There is barely no vehicle on the road, if there are, they would speed by. The place the crew heading for is the forefront of the standoff between government forces and opposition forces.

According to the government forces, they have successfully foiled infiltration attempts of opposition forces into the area over the past few weeks.

The soldiers shot down a drone just the day before. Drone attacks have turned out to be a frequent tactic on the Syrian battlefield, with Maarat al-Numan facing almost weekly assaults from opposition forces' drones.

The fighting has left few buildings intact in Maarat al-Numan. Civilians were nowhere to be seen near the frontline. Soldiers remained quietly in bunkers, with Syrian flags marking government command posts nearby.

On Aug 21, opposition forces launched a rocket attack on this military outpost, killing two soldiers.

The standoff line between government and opposition-controlled areas lay just ahead. For the final 800 meters, the CCTV crew had to change to a pickup, which was equipped with a mounted machine gun.

The government forces said that their cameras are hidden on trees, buildings and barbed wires along the confrontation line to monitor infiltration from both sides.

Over the past year, the infiltration of opposition forces into this area has never stopped. Their goal is to cut off a road between government-controlled Aleppo and Hama, separating government-controlled areas.

The conditions of the government troops at the front line are very difficult as soldiers have been garrisoning ruins for years.

Signs of shelling and airstrikes were evident along the line, with opposition-held villages visible at a distance. The confrontation line is a very open area where the crew had a very clear view of the movement of the other side.

Shotlist:
Syria - Recent:
1. Soldier at road checkpoint;
Khan Shaykhun, Idlib, Syria - Recent:
2. Various of cityscape, damaged buildings;
3. Various of Syrian government official explaining details to CCTV reporter on map;
Maarat al-Numan, Idlib, Syria - Recent:
4. Various of building ruins along highway, town center, Syrian national flag;
5. Aerial shots of land;
6. Various of damaged apartment building, garden, Syrian national flag;
7. Various of evacuated buildings in city, huge blankets as snipers' camouflage in ruined building;
8. Various of military post, frontline, opposition forces' settlements afar, crater, pickup on its way.

[Restrictions : No access Chinese mainland/Orient TV/Syria Alshaab TV/Zanoubia TV/Alhurra TV/ANN TV/Al Jazeera/Al-Arabiya TV]