World Bulletin / News Desk

Government forces have started preparing for an operation to retake a key city from al-Qaida-linked militants, local media reported Thursday.

On Wednesday, ISIL pulled out from Yarmouk and government troops captured three villages, which were captured by the Nusra Front late March, on the outskirts of Idlib. The three villages of Kafr Najd, Nahlaya and Muqbileh were on a critical route which has paved the way for the taking of Idlib.

Idlib was the second provincial capital to fall out of government control after ISIL took the city of al-Raqqa in northern Syria two years ago.

Aleppo, Syria's largest city, Aleppo and once the chief economic capital of Syria has been divided between rebel fighters that  control the eastern part and government forces, which control the western part.

ISIL fighters took over much of Yarmouk earlier this month, establishing a foothold in the Syrian capital for the first time.