Syria in Last 24 Hours: Army Regains Control over 2 Strategic Towns in Damascus Countryside

The Syrian army continued its advances in the Southern parts of the country, and took back control of two strategic towns in Damascus countryside.
The foreign-backed terrorists were pushed back from the towns of Maadar and Kafr Yabous in Damascus countryside and the army is now in full control over the towns.

The Syrian troops also took back several hills overlooking the two towns.

Also in the past 24 hours, Syrian army forces continued their military operations against foreign-backed militants to flush them out of parts of al-Meraiyie in the Eastern province of Deir Ezzur.

Syrian soldiers repelled the attack by ISIL militants in al-Tharda mountain and Huwaijet Saqr and restored security to areas in al-Meraiyie village, some 10 kilometers East of the provincial capital city of Deir Ezzur.

They also targeted ISIL strongholds in al-Meraiyie, destroying 17 vehicles equipped with heavy machineguns and seizing weapons and equipment.

The Syrian army continued to make gains in its fight against the armed groups in the countryside of Homs province, leaving a large number of anti-government forces dead.

The army troops raided the gathering centers of the rebels in the areas of Rahoum, Umm Sahrij, al-Mishirfa al-Janoubyeh, Aydoun and al-Rastan, and left scores of them dead and injured.

Also, the militants suffered major losses across Daraa province, as the army made progress in the areas of Saida, al-Tayba and al-No’aima.

The ISIL terrorists suffered major losses in surrounding areas of Hasaka province, as the Syrian army gained more ground in its fight against the Takfiri group.

The army troops stormed the hideouts of the terrorists in the areas of Rad Shaqra, Khashafat, al-Masoul, al-Dawodyeh, and Abu Saad farm in Hasaka, leaving a huge number of ISIL terrorists dead and injured.

Also on Monday, Syrian soldiers repelled an attack by ISIL militants in al-Tharda mountain and Huwaijet Saqr and restored security to areas in al-Meraiyie village, some 10 kilometers East of the provincial capital city of Deir Ezzur.

They also targeted ISIL strongholds in al-Meraiyie, destroying 17 vehicles equipped with heavy machineguns and seizing weapons and equipment.

Many people have been recruited in Kyrgyzstan to fight in Syria, reports said.

About 200 people, including 30 women, have been sent through various routes to the Arab country, and 22 Kyrgyz citizens have been killed in fighting in Syria, an official said Monday.

Rafik Mambetaliyev, the chief of the Kyrgyz Interior Ministry’s criminal investigation department, said that police had detected 83 cases of recruitment in Kyrgyzstan since the beginning of the conflict in Syria.

In connection with the developments in Syria, Kyrgyz police has stepped up counteraction against extremism and terrorism and fight against illegal migration, he said.

Each case of sending to Syria or recruitment was investigated, Mambetaliyev said.

Chemical weapons disarmament of Syria is over, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov said.

Chemical weapons have been destroyed, the program of disarmament has been fulfilled, and “there are no serious issues left”, he said.

Syrian Prime Minister Wael al-Halqi vowed that the ISIL Takfiri group and its affiliated terrorist groups will be flushed out of the country in the year 2015.

“The time of the rise of ISIS (ISIL) and its sisters is approaching its end,” said al-Halaqi, addressing People’s Assembly of Syria.

The Syrian premier further pointed to the sacrifices made by the Syrian armed forces and popular defense groups, adding that establishing security across the crisis-hit country is a top priority for the government of President Bashar al-Assad.

He went on to say that the support provided for the terrorist group by the West, some Arab countries, Turkey and Israel is the main reason for the persistence of terrorism in the Middle Eastern country.

Halqi also listed pursuing efforts for national reconciliation, providing the Syrian citizens with their needs and continuing the reconstruction of damaged infrastructure as other plans of the utmost significance for the government.

He also called on Syrian refugees in other countries to return to their homeland, promising that the government will fully support them.

Syria has been grappling with a deadly crisis since March 2011. The violence fuelled by Takfiri groups has so far claimed the lives of over 200,000 people, according to reports. New figures show that over 76,000 people, including thousands of children, lost their lives in Syria last year.

Over 7.2 million Syrians have also become internally displaced due to the ongoing crisis, according to the United Nations.