Syrian army soldiers advance against terrorists in southern Damascus

Units of the Syrian army have gained ground in the terrorist-controlled districts of southern Damascus in their latest push to rid the whole region of foreign-backed Takfiri militants.

Syria’s official SANA news agency reported that the armed forces, backed by the air force and artillery unites, had advanced on several directions in al-Joura, al-Asali and Hajar al-Aswad neighborhoods “after breaking the fortified positions of terrorists.”

The Syrian army further “inflicted great human and material losses” on the militants operating in southern Damascus areas, the report added.

The Syrian forces are now seeking to cut off terrorists’ supply routes and liberate all areas south of the capital, it further said.

Meanwhile, Syrian state television said the army was advancing towards Route 30 in Hajar al-Aswad.

The so-called Syrian Observatory for Human Rights also confirmed that the Syrian troops had wrested control of “buildings and streets in Hajar al-Aswad and Qadam” districts.

Takfiri militants have lost much of the territory they once held in Syria amid sweeping gains by government forces on the ground.

Earlier this month, Syrian forces managed to retake the Eastern Ghouta and Eastern Qalamoun regions near the capital.

For years, the areas had served as a launch pad for deadly terror attacks against civilians in Damascus.

Terrorist attack kills two children

Separately on Friday, a terrorist attack on Damascus’ Qadam neighborhood killed two children and injured eight other civilians.

Dr. Muhannad Fallouh of Damascus Hospital said that most of the wounded were children.

‘Aggressive’ US behavior could worsen Syria conflict

Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov (pictured below) expressed concerns that the “aggressive approach” adopted by the US and its allies could deteriorate the situation in Syria.

He also condemned a recent coordinated missile attack by the US, UK and France on Syria, saying the trio are “promoting justification for their military presence in Syria under the pretext of defeating” militants.

Washington, London and Paris targeted sites and research facilities near Damascus and Homs on April 14 with the purported goal of paralyzing the Syrian government’s capability to produce chemicals. Syrian air defense systems, however, intercepted most of the missiles.

The three Western states claimed that the assault was a response to the suspected chemical weapons attack on the Damascus suburb town of Douma on April 7.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Bogdanov said that “thanks to the political and military deterrence measures taken by Russia through various channels and the professionalism shown by the Syrian air defense, significant damage was prevented as a result of the tripartite aggression on Syria.”