Islamist rebels have captured the key north-western town of Jisr al-Shughur in Syria, activists said.
It was the last major town under government control in Idlib province and may provide rebels a route to the ruling elite's heartland, reported the BBC.
The offensive was launched by the Islamist forces, including Al Qaeda-affiliated Al Nusra Front, on Thursday.
The state media noted that government troops had been redeployed outside the town "to avoid civilian casualties." A military official said that they had engaged in heavy fighting with "armed terrorist groups" who came in large numbers from the Turkish border.
However, activists from the London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights claimed that the government troops had fled and added that the bodies of at least 60 pro-government fighters were lying in the streets.