Syrian Arab Army Regains Control of Slopes in Ein Chalma Outside Lattakia, Mops up Hosh Arab Town in Qalamon Area

PROVINCES,(ST)_ A fresh progress has been made by the army units and the national defense forces in the ongoing battle in Lattakia countryside, as mopping-up operations continued in  al-Qalamon area outside Damascus, the official news agency reports.

The agency added that the army units inflicted huge losses on the foreign-backed terrorists in several areas in the provinces of Homs, Aleppo and Daraa.

In details, a military source told the agency that an army unit and the national defense forces regained control of the western slopes of mountain 1017 in Ein Chalma in northern countryside of Lattakia province.

The source added that many terrorists were crushed in Jabal al-Nisr and al-Khorafeh area, noting that several arms depots were destroyed in Tertyah and al-Qasab areas in the same province.

Two days ago, the army units imposed control over Jabal Sal Darin [well known as Mount Chalma] overlooking Kasab city from the western side.

The army units’ advance in Lattakia countryside has coincided with successive victories over terrorists in al-Qalamon area outside Damascus province where mopping-up operations are being carried out in the towns to which stability and security were recently restored.

Bomb-making factory discovered

A bomb-making factory and booby trapped car wheels were found during a mopping-up operation by the army units near the  water reservoir  in Hosh Arab town in al-Qalamon area outside Damascus in addition to a field hospital  discovered near the municipality building in the same town.

The field hospital contained an operating room plus big quantity of medicines of Lebanese and Saudi origin, the official agency’s reporter said, adding that engineering units dismantled tens of explosive devices that were planted by terrorists in the streets and houses of the town and near the electricity poles.

Infiltration bids

At the same time, the army units warded off an armed terrorist groups’ infiltration bids in Wadi al-Sayeh quarter in Homs city.  Further infiltration bids  from the national forest into Tsil town and from ‘Belal” Mosque in southern Daraa province were also foiled.

Another infiltration bid into Abo al-Dhohor airbase in Idleb province was also foiled by an army unit.

No Syrian vehicle moved towards Jordanian border

In a separate development, a military source declared that the vehicles, which have been targeted by Jordanian warplanes, do not belong to the Syrian Arab army.

“No vehicle belonging to the Syrian Arab army has moved towards the Jordanian border,” the source said.

The declaration came after the Jordanian TV channel reported that Jordanian warplanes destroyed several camouflaged vehicles trying to cross the border from Syria. 

Some 100 gunmen surrender in 10 days  

On the other hand, the agency said that some 36 gunmen from Homs city surrendered to the competent authorities under the national reconciliation process.

It added that the competent authorities regularized situations of about 59 gunmen from the same province.

In the past 10 days, more than 100 gunmen from Homs city turned themselves in to the competent authorities. 

Basma Qaddour