Al-Qaeda-linked forces seize control in northern Syria as shaky ceasefire tested

Syrian rebels and activists are warning that anal-Qaeda-linked groupis on the verge of snuffing out what remains of the country's uprising in northwestern Syria, after the extremists seized control of the opposition-held regional capital, Idlib, last weekend.

With the Nusra Front cementing its authority over the city and its province, also called Idlib, Syrian President Basharal-Assad has been supplied with a useful pretext for a long-expected assault against the rebellious province: that the uprising against him is largely driven by militant extremists.

"There is the real possibility that because of the Nusra Front's domination, the regime will enter the area with international approval," said Lt.-Col. Fares Bayoush, a longtime opponent of Assad, who has been leading a rebel faction in north Syria.

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The Nusra Front is one of the many names for the violent organization that now heads the mighty Hay'at Tahrir al Sham militant group Arabic for Levant Liberation Committee that seized the city of Idlib, as well as two border crossings with Turkey to feed its coffers. It is also known as HTS.

In July last year, the Nusra Front changed its name to Fatah al-Sham Front and said it was cutting all its links with al-Qaeda, a move seen by many as an attempt to improve its image and market itself as a faction defending the Syrian people.

The fresh gains by HTS in northern Syria come at a time when the Islamic State group is suffering defeats at the hands of Iraqi and Syrian forces as well as U.S.-backed Kurdish-led fighters in northern Syria.

In Idlib demonstrations last week, the group's members shot at protesters waving the tri-color flag of the Syrian uprising. HTS will only accept their own, jihadi-inspired black flags to be flown in their presence.

"Any party that tries to confront HTS will be crushed," said an activist based in northwest Syria.

"This is a big blow for the Syrian revolution. Bashar will look like he is fighting terrorism," the activist said, speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals by the HTS.

Hope fading for some rebel groups

Assad, who has long eyed Idlib province since he lost it, willlikely be further emboldened by a White House decision to halt the CIA supply-and-equip program for Syrian rebels. It was first reported by the Washington Post last week.

Opposition activists saw it as an acknowledgement that HTS was exploiting its position in northwestern Syria to pilfer weapons from vetted opposition groups.

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"It means HTS will have less access to arms," said the Turkey-based opposition activist, who requested anonymity to protect himself from reprisal.

But it is also a sign of growing closeness between the White House and the Kremlin over Syria.

Russia, a strong backer of Assad, had long pushed the United States to end the program. And U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was reported to have told UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres earlier this month that the U.S. was leaving "Syria's fate in Russia's hands now," according to Foreign Policy magazine.

Reports of broken ceasefire

Meanwhile, the U.K.-basedSyrian Observatory for Human Rights said overnight air strikes killed at least eight people in the rebel-held Eastern Ghouta.

The deaths were the first civilian casualties in the area the last major rebel stronghold near Damascus since a cessation of hostilities was declared there on Saturday. The strikes, targeting the town of Arbin, wounded an additional 30 people, it said.

There was no immediate comment from the Syrian military on the report, and no mention of air strikes by state media.

Russia, a military ally of the Syrian regime,said it had deployed military police in the Eastern Ghouta on Monday to try to enforce a de-escalation zone it said it had agreed with the Syrian opposition there.

The Syrian army, with firepower and logistical support from Russia and Iran, has dealt the opposition a string of defeats around the capital over the last year, seizing back control of areas including Daraya and Moadamiya.