Syrian Arab army makes advance in Ma’aloula battle, destroys weaponry coming from Turkey

PROVINCES,(ST)_Units of the armed forces are inching closer to restore stability and security to the historic Christian town of Ma’aloula which is located to the north of Damascus and have imposed control over Maksar alHsan town to the east of Homs province, according to military sources.

The sources described today’s military operations in Ma’aloula town being similar to commandos owing to  the geography of the town, which is encircled by mountainous cliffs. They confirmed that the armed forces reached Deir Mar Takla after eliminating dozens of al-Nusra Front-affiliates.

They added that eight terrorists were killed and 10 others injured in Ra’as alEn farms and al-Sarkha town to the east .

In this context, media reports said that al-Nusra Front snipers, who are harboring in al-Safir Hotel overlooking the town, made the advance of the armed forces difficult so far.

But they confirmed that most areas of Ma’aloula town have become under army’s control.  

Around 6 days ago, terrorists from the blacklisted al-Nusra Front have entered the town of Ma’aloula and forced locals to flee their homes.

Eyewitness

A former resident of Ma’aloula town, Antoinette Nassrallah, told BBC reporter that her family was forced to leave the town after it was captured by terrorists  adding that she didn’t know if she would ever return home after terrorists leave anything behind. 

She said that the United States should desist from sending weaponry to the terrorists and that any military action against Syria would be based on a big lie.

30 terrorists killed

In another development, the armed forces crushed 30 terrorists in Doma suburb outside Damascus and continued targeting terrorist groupings and hideouts in Jerod, al-Nabk, Barzeh, Jobar, Zamalka, al-Bahhareyeh, Der Salman, al-Qasemeyeh, Hajjira, and al-Dyabeyeh areas.

An unknown number of terrorists died not only in the said areas but also in more than eight areas in northern Aleppo province where three weapons-laden cars were destroyed to the north of al-Bab city in the countryside.

The cars were coming from Turkey, an official source declared.

Attacks on garrisons

On the other hand, the armed forces warded off terrorists’ attack on Hanano Barracks and thwarted an infiltration bid into al-Khasrofeyeh Mosque in the old city of Aleppo.

They, in addition, foiled terrorists’ attack on a garrison near Inkhel town in  southern Daraa province and pounded several hideouts of al-Nusra Front-affiliates in about 15 areas.

Terrorists of Jordanian and Libyan nationalities were among the dead in the said areas, a military source said, announcing names of 6 terrorists.

Homs’ Maksar alHsan town ‘safe’

In the central Homs province, it was reported that Maksar alHsan town became ‘safe’ after flushing out terrorists there.

A military source cited that terrorists had perpetrated a massacre  few days ago in the town where at least 12 locals were martyred.

It added that the armed forces cracked down on an armed terrorist group to the west of Wadi al-Sayeh area, warded off attacks on several garrisons in al-Mesherfeh town, and further obliterated terrorists’ hideouts in al-Qarabes, al-Qosor, al-Dar al-Kabera, and al-Khaledeyeh areas in Homs province.

The death toll of terrorists in the above mentioned events was not reported.

The US, France, Britain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Turkey support the terrorists by all means to perpetrate heinous crimes against civilians and soldiers and target the country’s infrastructure.

B.Q