Turkish, Egyptian foreign ministers discuss Syria

By Tugba Altun and Esra Tekin

ANKARA/ISTANBUL (AA) - Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan discussed developments in Syria with his Egyptian counterpart on Wednesday.

Fidan and Badr Abdelatty held a phone call, according to Turkish diplomatic sources.

Further details of their conversation were unavailable.

Clashes broke out Nov. 27 between Assad regime forces and anti-regime armed groups in the western countryside of Aleppo in northern Syria, marking a re-escalation of fighting after a period of relative calm in the conflict that has gripped Syria for nearly 14 years.

Armed groups opposing the Bashar al-Assad regime captured 20 more settlements on Wednesday in the western province of Hama.

In clashes with regime forces roughly 5 kilometers (3 miles) outside Hama’s city center, anti-regime groups took control of 16 additional settlements after capturing Pasif, Elcid, Al-Karim and Hamra earlier in the day.

Additionally, they have captured the Armored Corps School near Hama city center, one of the regime's key bases which serves as the main headquarters for the 25th Brigade.