Syrian Arab army fights tens of thousands of terrorists

PROVINCES,(ST)_Units of armed forces have clamped down on foreign-backed terrorist groups’ bids to either sneak into al-Qusayr city or flee from it while hideouts of terrorists are being targeted nationwide.

Today at down, a unit of armed forces ambushed an armed terrorist group heading for al-Qusayr city in the central Homs province where fighting is still raging for the third week. 

The ambush resulted in eliminating 4 terrorists and destroying their car as they were coming from Hasya’a area to the city through Wadi al-Sil site near Damascus-Homs highway, according to an official source.

Other terrorist group’s members were reportedly crushed west al-Hseneyeh town as they were trying to flee from al-Qusayr town outside Homs.

In the evening, it was officially announced that the armed forces took control of Dherej town and nearby farms in the eastern countryside of al-Qusayr city. 

Significance of Al-Qusayr

Al-Qusayr city has been strategically significant since it is located about 160 km away from Aleppo and the same distance from Lattakia, not to mention its link with Lebanese and Iraqi borders and Damascus countryside.

The Syrian ‘Tishreen’ newspaper quoted Homs governor as saying: “Since 2000, the US intelligence centers have worked at the Lebanese border near al-Qusayr,” adding that officers and experts from outside Syria manage terrorism in al-Qusayr and Syria as well.

 The governor underscored that the number of terrorists inside the city (al-Qusayr) reached up to 15.000 ones of different nationalities.

Back to operations on ground, several hideouts were reportedly pounded east the eastern al-Dmineh, west and west-north quarters of al-Qusayr, west-south Hasya’a , in Aqrab (outside al-Holeh), near Bet Swis (in Talbeseh) and near ‘Mostafa Bash’ Mosque (in Bab Hod) outside Homs.

Unknown number of terrorists was killed in the said area amid reports of continuity of army’s operations against terrorist groupings outside Aleppo and Idlib.

21 towns outside Hama under army’s control

The army, in addition, recorded a new victory in the northern Hama countryside as it imposed control over new 8 towns after wiping out terrorists.

Some 26 rockets were confiscated in a home of terrorists in Blil town which is one of the cleansed towns.

So thus, 21 towns in the northern Hama area are under army’s control. 

Attacks on garrisons

In the southern Daraa province, a military source stated that the units of armed forces confronted armed terrorist groups’ attempts to attack several garrisons in Bosra al-Sham outside the province and inflicted heavy losses on them.

The attacks occurred as several hideouts of terrorists were targeted in the surrounding farms of the eastern Ghouta, south-east al-Mleha, Hajjera, Halbon, Jobar, and Doma areas outside the capital.

As many as 13 terrorists, including non-Syrian ones, were killed in the said areas.

It was also reported that a unit of armed forces dismantled 27 explosive devices, of the weight 25-30 kg/each, planted south-east water establishment in Harasta city outside Damascus.

In Lattakia countryside, or more specifically, in the northern area, the units of armed forces shelled many of al-Nusra Front terrorists’ hideouts and weapons.

A terrorist leader (of Libyan nationality) and his men were killed while another one was injured in the shelling.

Shells hit Mazzeh suburb

In a separate incident, terrorists blasted an explosive device on the stadium road in Hassaka city. No one was hurt.

At night, the Syrian alikhbareyeh al-Soreyeh reported that terrorists fired two mortar shells near al-Kawthar mosque in al-Mazeh area in Damascus causing serious damages at the scene.

B.Q