Syria in Past 24 Hours:

Army Imposes Full Control over Eastern Qalamoun

Rasa - The Syrian army troops seized full control over the entire Eastern Qalamoun in Damascus after a complete withdrawal of the terrorists from the region.

News ID: 437361

Date: 26 April 2018 - 20:53

RNA - The Syrian army troops seized full control over the entire Eastern Qalamoun in Damascus after a complete withdrawal of the terrorists from the region.

Damascus

All the terrorists left al-Rahibeh, Jairoud and Al-Nasserieh as well as al-Atneh village in Eastern Qalamoun on Wednesday.

Meantime, along with the completion of terrorists' retreat from Eastern Qalamoun, government officials started processing the amnesty applications filed by another group of the militants.

The Syrian army has now imposed full control over the strategic region in Eastern Qalamoun after the terrorists and their families left the area.

Also in the past 24 hours, the Syrian army continued its advances in several directions in Southern Damascus, and inflicted a number of casualties on the terrorists, including notorious commanders.

The Syrian army units clashed with the ISIL terrorists in al-Asali region in Southern Damascus and managed to take control of several buildings and farms to the South and North of the region.

The Syrian government troops also advanced in al-Tazamon axis and took control of several districts.

The Syrian air force, missile and artillery units also heavily pounded the terrorists' military positions in Hajr al-Aswad and Yarmouk camp, inflicting heavy losses and casualties on the terrorists.

Also during a series of military operations in Southern Damascus, the army captured a terrorist commander named Vasim Ghanim, field sources said.

Meantime, tens of terrorist commanders, including Soleiman Hamzeh, Abu Samer al-Shalmouneh, commander of Jeish al-Islam, Shadi al-Sa'ad al-Qayadi, commander of Al-Nusra Front and Ali Mansour and Saleh al-Bayati, two ISIL commanders, were killed during the clashes in the same region.

Meantime, the Syrian army also destroyed a security headquarters of Jeish al-Islam, killing a notorious commander of the terrorist group during the mop-up operation in Southern Damascus.

Also, according to the Arabic-language al-Watan newspaper, Sheikh Abu Al-Bara, a senior commander of Jeish al-Islam in Southern Damascus, has been killed in the Syrian army operation near al-Zain East of Hajar al-Aswad.

Several other Jeish al-Islam terrorists were also killed and wounded in the army assault on their positions in Southern Damascus.

Also on Wednesday, the Syrian army imposed full control over a strategic region in Eastern Qalamoun after the terrorists and their families left the area.

The government troops took full control of al-Rahibeh town in Eastern Qalamoun after 1,500 militants and their families left al-Rahibeh for the cities of Idlib and Jarablus.

Meantime, the residents of al-Rahibieh town hoisted Syria's flags over state-owned buildings and security forces entered the area right after the terrorists' evacuation.

The Syrian army's engineering units also seized tens of bombs left behind by the terrorists.

Also in the past 24 hours, a sum of 2,000 Syrian families returned to Western Damascus after security was restored to the region as the same number of terrorists together with their families left Eastern Qalamoun after an agreement with the Damascus government.

Around 1,196 terrorists and their families left Eastern Qalamoun for Northern Syria on 47 buses.

Meantime, Head of Al-Zabadani City Council Basel Dalati confirmed that 2,000 Syrian families have returned to their houses after security was restored to the region.

Dalati pointed to meeting the infrastructural needs of the region, and said, "It is forecasted that over 4,000 Syrian families will return to their houses in two months."

Also on Wednesday, the Syrian army continued its mop-up operation in Southern Damascus and destroyed a security headquarters of Jeish al-Islam, killing a notorious commander of the terrorist group.

Sheikh Abu Al-Bara, a senior commander of Jeish al-Islam in Southern Damascus, was killed in the Syrian army operation near al-Zain East of Hajar al-Aswad, the Arabic-language al-Watan newspaper reported.

Several other Jeish al-Islam terrorists were killed and wounded in the army assault on their positions in Southern Damascus.

Meantime, tens of the ISIL terrorists, including their senior commanders, were killed in the army's air raids and artillery attacks in Damascus province on Wednesday.

Several foreign terrorists from Saudi Arabia, Libya and Jordan were among the terrorists killed in Damascus province.

Also in the past 24 hours, the Syrian army continued its advances and military operations in several directions in Southern Damascus and tightened the siege on the terrorists by taking full control over several areas.

The army troops continued their clashes with the ISIL terrorists in the surrounding areas of Hajar al-Aswad and seized control of several regions between Yalda and Babila towns while advancing towards Yarmouk Camp.

The government troops also advanced in Hajar al-Aswad region and captured several areas in the region.

The Syrian army units also continued their march in Yarmouk camp and won control of al-Baradi and al-Baradat regions.

Battlefield sources pointed to the Syrian army's rapid advances in Eastern part of al-Qadam district, and said tens of terrorists were killed in the Syrian army's military operations.

The Syrian air force and artillery units also heavily pounded the ISIL's security zone in Hajar al-Aswad which resulted in the destruction of several positions, vehicles and military equipment of the terrorists.

Also on Wednesday, the Syrian army dispatched fresh troops and new military equipment to Southern Damascus as the military operations in the area intensified.

Battlefield sources reported that a large number of Syrian Army special forces (Tiger Force) together with military equipment have been dispatched to Southern Damascus from Eastern Qalamoun that has already been purged of terrorists.

The sources pointed to the failed negotiations on evacuation of ISIL elements to Eastern Badiyeh and the Syrian army's opposition to the terrorists' relocation to Houz al-Yarmouk, and said that the Syrian army continues the assault to fully purge the area.

The ISIL terrorists reportedly plotted to form another group like Lahad Army in Lebanon after relocation to Houz al-Yarmouk in order to support Israel.

Homs

Troops from the Syrian Army and allied forces will seek to liberate militant-held areas in the province of Homs, North of the provincial capital, after recovering all territory in the East Qalamoun region of the Damascus province.

“The issue will not be a long time coming after the final resolution in Qalamoun. Armed groups wait to feel the seriousness and determination of the state’s military action before they approach serious discussion of a reconciliation agreement,” Minister for National Reconciliation Ali Haidar told the Reuters.

He stressed that thousands of leaflets calling on militants to surrender were dropped on Homs in recent days. The pocket consists of numerous towns and villages, including al-Rastan, Houla and Talbiseh.

“The options are open: full reconciliation or military action where necessary,” Haidar responded when asked about the prospect of reconciliation or transfer deals being offered and agreed in other parts of Syria.

Hama

The Syrian army reinforced its military positions in a strategic region near Al-Zareh Thermal Power Plant in Southern Hama after repelling the terrorists' recent attacks on the region.

The government troops have recently strengthened their military positions near al-Zareh power plant, the Arabic-language service of Moscow-bases Sputnik news agency quoted a security source as saying.

The Syrian army deployed a large number of its troops near Jirjisa North of al-Rastan Lake towards al-Rastan town while reinforcing its defense lines with a large number of tanks and other military equipment, the source added.

He noted that since the terrorists' attack on the strategic al-Zareh power plant was fended off, the Syrian army has been closing off all ways of penetration by the terrorist groups in Southern Hama.

Meantime, the Syrian army killed and wounded many terrorists during the repulsion of terrorists' attacks. The army also destroyed several vehicles of the terrorists that intended to pass through waters to reach this region.

Quneitra

According to Fars News Agancy, the Syrian army inflicted heavy losses on the terrorists in Quneitra after they launched attacks on a hospital and residential areas in the region and injured over 10 civilians.

Battlefield sources reported that the terrorists stationed in Jabata al-Khasahb region hit al-Khodami district and several houses in al-Ba'as town and Shahid Mamdouh Abaze with 17 rockets which resulted in the injury of 12 civilians, including children and women as well as two medical staff.

Meantime, the Syrian army in response targeted the terrorists' positions and movements in the surrounding areas of Ufanieh village, West of Khan Arnabeh in Quneitra, inflicting losses on the terrorists.

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