Six militants killed, nine captured in Syria’s Zabadani

Syrian government forces backed by fighters from the Lebanese Hezbollah resistance movement have killed six Takfiri militants and captured nine others during a fresh operation in Syria’s southwestern town of Zabadani near the border with Lebanon.

A Lebanese security source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the militants were killed and arrested during Monday clashes in Zabadani, located approximately 45 kilometers (27 miles) northwest of the capital, Damascus, as Syrian soldiers and allied forces are seeking to retake control of the strategic area from Takfiri terrorists.

The source added that Syrian and Hezbollah troopers have also taken back the al-Jisr district west of Zabadani as well as Idrissi School inside the town.

Also on Monday, a total of 14 members of the so-called Jaish al-Islam terrorist group were killed during intense clashes with Syrian soldiers in Eastern Ghouta district on the outskirts of the capital.

Syrian troopers also raided several terrorist hideouts in the city of Harasta, located about 25 kilometers (15 miles) northeast of Damascus, on Monday, killing an unspecified number of extremists.

In addition, the army engaged al-Qaeda-affiliated al-Nusra Front terrorists in the Eastern Karak district of Syria’s southwestern Dara’a Province, killing scores of militants in the fighting.

Syrian soldiers stormed militant hideouts in the town of Atman in the same province, killing several terrorists and destroying a number of vehicles belonging to them.

The foreign-sponsored conflict in Syria, which flared in March 2011, has reportedly claimed more than 240,000 lives up until now.

The United Nations says the militancy has displaced more than 7.2 million Syrians internally, and compelled over four million others to take refuge in neighboring countries, including Jordan and Lebanon.