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Government forces have been developing a counter-offensive against Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and other radical militant groups in southeastern Idlib since December 1.
On November 30, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the Turkish-backed National Front for Liberation and several foreign Jihadi groups, including the Turkistan Islamic Party and Ajnad al-Kavkaz launched a major attack on positions of the Syrian Army in southeastern Idlib. Militants attacked and captured the villages of Sarjah, Ejaz, Rasm al-Ward and Istablat.
On December 1, the Syrian Army launched a counter-attack recapturing Ejaz. Government troops also re-entered Sarjah and several areas around it. On December 2, clashes in the area continued with government troops aiming to retake all the positions that they had lost.
Seems like there were some Chechens or similar (Ajnad al Kavkas) involved in the last attack – which would help to explain their success