Syrian Arab army kills over 250 terrorists outside Daraa and Quneitra, recaptures town on Syrian-Lebanese border
PROVINCES,(ST)_Syrian army has killed over 250 terrorists outside Daraa and Quneitra and has recaptured a town on Syrian-Lebanese border from al-Nusra Front, media sources reported Saturday.
The official news agency (SANA) quoted a military source as citing that an army unit killed 40 terrorists, including the leader of the al-Nusra Front-affiliated ‘101’ battalion, in a qualitative operation east Ibta’a town in Daraa countryside.
More 30 terrorists were eliminated in Da’el town, about 14km north Daraa city, according to the source that confirmed the death of more than 150 terrorists during military operations in Qerfa, Namer and al-Sheikh Meskin towns.
Most of the terrorists killed in the said towns were mercenaries linked to the al-Nusra Front and they were infiltrated through the Jordanian border and perpetrated crimes against civilians in coordination with the Israeli enemy.
In the same province [Daraa], there were also military operations against terrorist organizations in Daraa al-Balad and other towns where many terrorists were killed and injured and several vehicles were destroyed.
In Quneitra countryside, precisely in Mas’hara town, Syrian army eliminated 47 terrorists, most of them affiliated to the al-Nusra Front.
A hideout containing weapons and munitions belonging to the al-Nusra Front was destroyed in al-Qahtaneyeh town, around 3km south Quneitra city, amid reports of killing many terrorists in al-Hamedeyeh town, around 7km west the city.
Other hideouts belonging to the al-Nusra Front and the ‘Ahrar al-Sham’ in Abo Duhur area outside Idlib were struck by army units, according to a military source.
Chechen, Saudi, Belgian terrorists killed
The source added that army units carried out a qualitative operation against terrorist hideouts on the outskirts of al-Nairab town, west Jabal al-Arbaeen, and killed 16 terrorists linked to the so-called the ‘Khattab’ battalion in Sermin town.
“A Chechen terrorist, dubbed Abo Islam, plus a Saudi terrorist, dubbed Abo Qdad, and a Belgian terrorist, dubbed Abo Hrir al-Nasr, were among the 16 terrorists killed in Sermin town,” SANA said, noting that an arms depot belonging to terrorists was wiped out in the same town.
The agency added that several terrorist ringleaders were killed and injured in al-Sheikh Yousif, al-Mestreha and al-Najeyeh towns in Idlib countryside.
Further terrorists were killed when an army unit targeted a Pickup car equipped with heavy machinegun near Kherbet Awwad town, about 48 km south Sweida city.
The car was heading to Jemrin town outside Bosra al-Sham city , a military source said, adding that all terrorists in the car died.
The source indicated that army units pounded several terrorist hideouts in Tal Ash’hib, which lies east Khalkhala airbase, about 50 km north Sweida city.
Al-Kfir battles
In another development, Syrian army regained control of al-Kfir town on the Syrian-Lebanese border, north al-Masna’a road, in the wake of battles with al-Nusra Front, according to the Beirut-based al-Mayadeen TV channel.
The TV channels confirmed that many gunmen affiliated to al-Nusra Front where arrested during al-Kfir battles in which many gunmen were killed.
Some gunmen escaped from the town towards al-Zabadani area in Damascus countryside.
In northern Aleppo province, heavy fighting flared up between Syrian army and gunmen near al-Myasat hill after foiling their infiltration attempt near al-Brij area, the al-Mayadeen said.
It pointed out that mortar rounds and explosives-filled cylinders rocked Nobul and al-Zahraa towns in Aleppo countryside, killing a civilian.
Basma Qaddour