Syria in Last 24 Hours:

Army Repels Terrorists' Attack on Gov't Positions in Damascus

Rasa - The Syrian army soldiers fended off terrorists' attack on their positions in Damascus province after hours of clashes, inflicting major losses on them.

News ID: 435589

Date: 01 January 2018 - 21:49

RNA - The terrorists' offensive to capture the government forces' positions in al-Balaliyeh and al-Nashabiyeh regions in Eastern Ghouta were warded off by the strong defense of the Syrian military men.

The army units killed and wounded several terrorists in the clashes.

Meantime, the Syrian army and popular forces continued their military advances in other parts of Syria, including Hama, over the past 24 hours.

Tens of terrorists were killed and dozens more were injured during the Syrian army's operations in other provinces across Syria.

Damascus

The Syrian Army troops fended off terrorist groups' heavy attack to recapture lost lands in Eastern Ghouta on Sunday, inflicting major losses on the militants.

The army soldiers clashed with the terrorists that attacked their positons in al-Balaliyeh and al-Nashabiyeh regions in Eastern Ghouta and warded off their offensive.

The army units killed or wounded over 20 terrorists in the clashes.

Relevant reports said earlier on Sunday that the army continued its advances in Eastern Damascus, killing several terrorists, including a senior commander of Jeish al-Islam terrorist group.

Mohammad al-Khanshour nom du guerre Abu Orveh, senior commander of Jeish al-Islam, along with seven other terrorists were killed and 17 others were also injured in fierce clashes with the Syrian army.

The Syrian army, meantime, rapidly took control over four strategic regions in Eastern Ghouta.

The Syrian army troops engaged in tough battle with the terrorists in al-Nashabiyeh, Hazarma and Zarboqiyeh after launching counterattack on the terrorists.

The army men took full control of al-Ehsan grand mosque, Hawsh al-Salehiyeh western farm and a key region in Tal al-Farzat.

Hama

The Syrian Army troops warded off a heavy offensive of Al-Nusra Front (Tahrir al-Sham Hay'at or the Levant Liberation Board) in a region along a road connecting the town of al-Salamiyah to Homs on Sunday.

The army men exchanged fire with Al-Nusra who tried to capture Khneifes region along al-Salamiyah-Homs road in Southeastern Hama and repelled their attack after killing and wounding a number of the terrorists.

Field sources reported that the remaining pockets of Al-Nusra were forced to retreat under heavy fire of the army men.

Field sources confirmed earlier on Sunday that the army troops stormed the positions of Al-Nusra Front in Northeastern Hama and Southeastern Idlib, forcing the terrorist group to pull fighters back from more regions.

The sources said that the army men engaged in heavy fighting with Al-Nusra and captured two strategic hills in Jadou'a and al-Za'atar in Northeastern Hama.

The sources added that the army men further imposed control over the village of al-Jadou'a in Southeastern Idlib.

The army's engineering units started to defuse bombs and landmines planted by the terrorists in the region as soon as militants withdrew from their positions.

Occupied Golan

The Syrian army is preparing to retake regions occupied by militants in Golan after driving out the al-Nusra Front terrorist group from Southwestern Damascus, a military expert said.

The Arabic website of Sputnik quoted Heitham Hassoun as saying on Sunday that the Syrian army will purge the terrorists from the Southwestern parts of Damascus by regaining control over the two strategic towns of Mughur al-Mir and Beit Jin.

He added that the army has regained control of the Northern entrances of Quneitra province after winning back these regions and will cut the Zionists' hands who attempt to enter this region using the terrorist groups.

Hassoun underlined the strategic importance of the liberation operations in Beit Jin and Mughur al-Mir regions, adding that this achievement will be a prelude to the army's preparation to liberate all regions in the occupied Golan.

He said that Israel's interference in this region (Southwestern Damascus) has been proved, adding that the latest reports show Israel's financial and logistic support for the terrorist groups.

Tens of terrorists laid down their arms and joined the ceasefire regime on Saturday and left Southwestern Damascus towards Idlib and Dara'a provinces.

Nearly all the terrorists who had demanded to leave Southwestern Damascus were relocated together with their families from Beit Jen to Idlib and Dara'a provinces within the framework of an agreement with the Syrian army.

A sum of 65 terrorists together with their families left Beit Jen towards Idlib province on four buses.

Meantime, 106 terrorists along with their families left Beit Jen towards Idlib on six buses.

Battlefield sources also reported that Al-Nusra Front terrorists set fire to their headquarters and military hardware before leaving Southwestern Damascus.

Meantime, army sources said that the militants who intend to remain in Beit Jen will have their cases dealt with in coming days.

847/940