Syrian Arab army mops up Shebaa town, makes advance in Der Ezzour

PROVINCES,(ST)_Units of the armed forces have uncovered a conduit  and trench in Shebaa town outside Damascus, made progress in al-Ba’ajin quarter in Der Ezzour and thwarted infiltration attempts into safe areas in Aleppo and Homs.

Day after imposing control over the strategic Shebaa town, it was officially reported that the armed forces found a 500m-long trench plus a 200m-long tunnel,  defused a mine and 21 explosive devices -weighing 50-70 kg- which were planted on the outskirts of the town.  

The trench, located alongside Damascus International Airport road, was used by terrorists to open fire  haphazardly on passing cars, while the tunnel was used to store weapons and ammunitions.

Strategic victory

The strategic Shebaa town lies just 11 km from Damascus International Airport and located to the south-east of the eastern Ghouta. It is around 30 km to the east of the capital [Damascus].

 Restoration of security to this town would lead to further significant advance in the eastern Ghouta battle, according to media reports.

Flashpoint areas

On the other fronts in Damascus countryside, the armed forces continued cracking down on terrorists and raided several hideouts along Der Salman farms in the heart of eastern Ghouta and in Adra alBalad, Doma, Harasta, Hajira, al-Dyabeyeh, al-Hseneyeh, al-Nabk, Jab’adin, al-Rhebeh, and Yabroud areas.

An unknown number of terrorists were eliminated and a large chunk of weapons were destroyed not only in the said areas but also in the suburbs of Barzeh, al-Qabon and Jobar, which are located just few kilometers away from Damascus.

Significant progress 

Meanwhile, it was reported that another victory against the foreign-backed terrorists was scored in Der Ezzour province where the armed forces tightened control over the area stretching from ‘Abdullah ben Abbas’ Mosque and ‘Hokan’ bakery in al-Ba’ajin quarter.

An official source noted that large numbers of booby-traps were dismantled in the quarter and several terrorists were hammered in al-Sena’a quarter in the same province (Der Ezzour).

Weapons and munitions

It added that the armed forces wiped out weapons and munitions including local-made rockets in towns of al-Abed and al-Bolil as well as near purification plant in al-Labed site in Mohsen city.

Moving towards the country’s industrial province, Aleppo, the armed forces went ahead with destroying weapons-laden cars coming from Turkey for terrorists and foiled infiltration bids into safe areas inside the city.

A military source confirmed the death of dozens of terrorists in today’s operations launched in the southeastern Aleppo countryside and in the towns of Kweris, al-Jadedeh, Rasm al-Abbod and on Aleppo-Raqqa road.

Elsewhere, the armed forces wiped out terrorist groupings in eight areas in Idlib province and in five areas in al-Hassaka province as well as in 12 areas in Homs province.

They also killed several armed terrorist groups trying to sneak from Bab Hod and Bab al-Turkman quarters into the safe Bab Sba’a quarter in Homs city.

Shells kill 5 citizens in Damascus

In a separate incident, the terrorists fired mortar shells on areas of al-Amara, al-Qassa’a and al-Abbaseyen in Damascus, killing five citizens and leaving 37 others wounded, including children, the official news agency (SANA) said.

The shells hit shops in Bab al-Salam and the Armenian Church in al-Qassa’a quarter and near ‘al-Natta’en’ Mosque in al-Amara quarter and on the surrounding of St-Louis-French Hospital in al-Abbaseyen area causing serious damages at the scene.

B.Q