On 17 April 2013, Ba'athist government forces breached a six-month rebel blockade in Wadi al-Deif, near Idlib. Heavy fighting was reported around the town of Babuleen after government troops attempt to secure control of a main highway leading to Aleppo. The break in the siege also allowed government forces to resupply two major military bases in the region which had been relying on sporadic airdrops.[1] On 18 April, the FSA took control of Al-Dab'a Air Base near the city of al-Qusayr.[165] The base was being used primarily to garrison ground troops.