Syria in Last 24 Hours: Army Repels Terrorists’ Attack on Military Bases in Damascus Countryside

The Syrian army continued its advances in Khan al-Sheikh region in Damascus countryside and thwarted the terrorists’ attacks on several strategic military bases in the surrounding areas of Khan al-Sheikh farms in there.
The army pushed back the Takfiri terrorists from the surrounding areas of Khan al-Sheikh where a number of military bases are located, killing at least 34 terrorists in heavy clashes.

The terrorists with Saudi, Moroccan and Turkish nationalities could be seen among the Takfiri militants killed in Khan al-Sheikh area.

Also in the past 24 hours, the Syrian army helped tens of families in Eastern Ghouta to leave their homes for safe places created by the government in nearby areas.

At least 25 families residing in Zobdin town in Eastern Ghouta were transferred to safe zones in Hatiteh, Al-Jarsh and Al-Mleiha through the safe passages provided by the army.

Meantime, the Syrian Army inflicted massive casualties on the ISIL Takfiri group in Deir Ezzur province, claiming the lives of scores of terrorists.

The army troops staged a successful operation in Deir Ezzur, leaving a large number of the ISIL terrorists dead and injured in the area of Hweijet al-Sakre.

Also, eight vehicles belonging to the terrorist group were targeted during the attacks in al-Jafra and al-Shoula, Hweika and Mu Hassan in Deir Ezzur countryside.

Elsewhere, the Syrian army ambushed a terrorist convoy that was transporting a number of militant commanders in Assal al-Ward on the barrens of Qalamoun in Damascus countryside, inflicting heavy losses upon them.

The Syrian army killed dozens of militants who were trying to infiltrate into the barrens of Qara, Breij and Ras al-Marra in Qalamoun.

The Syrian warplanes also targeted several ISIL concentration centers at the crossings of Mira, Mertbaya and al-Zamrani on Qalamoun’s barrens.

The Syrian army on Tuesday further continued to launch wide-scale military operations against foreign-backed terrorist organizations across the country, killing and injuring scores of their members and foiling their infiltration attempts.

In a different context, the Kurdish fighters killed 18 ISIL terrorists in Kobani.

Meantime, well-informed sources said that Syria will reopen its embassy in Kuwait soon.

For this purpose, three Syrian diplomats, including a charge d’affairs, left Damascus for Kuwait Monday.

The Syrian Army and government have defended their country against insurgents since 2011 when a huge number of foreign terrorists flocked to the Middle-Eastern country.

In spite of certain western states’ military and financial supports for militants, the Syrian troops have been able to push them back from many areas across the country, and based on military observers the fall of militancy in Syria is not far.

Elsewhere, a group of local residents in a Northwestern Syrian village held a protest rally against the Al-Qaeda-linked al-Nusra Front terrorist group, prompting deadly reaction by the militants.

The foreign-backed terror elements reportedly opened fire on the demonstrators in a countryside village of Idlib province after they demanded that the militants leave their neighborhoods.

The protesters further blamed the notorious Takfiri group for launching a random detention campaign against local youths in the villages of Jozef and Salqeen.

The protest participants also expressed anger over the shutting down the area’s entertainment shops.

The Nusra Front terrorists killed at least one of the protesters and detained several others.

The development comes as villagers and members of al-Shaitaat tribes in Syria’s Deir Ezzur province have reportedly joined government forces in the fight against the ISIL Takfiri terrorists.

Meantime, a report said that mass grave with the remains of 70 people, who had been killed by the ISIL Takfiri militants at an earlier time, was uncovered in the country’s Eastern province of Deir Ezzur.

The villagers of the al-Bahra village, about 100 km East of Deir Ezzur, found the mass grave with the bodies of 70 people, largely from the al-Shuaitat tribe, which had opposed the terrorist group when the later stormed their areas in that oil-rich province.

The bodies had marks of gunshots and others were found beheaded.

On Dec 17, the villagers of Kishkiyeh village found a mass grave combining tens of bodies of people who were also executed by the ISIL.

Elsewhere, a large number of Takfiri militants were killed in nearby areas of Damascus province, as the Syrian Army gained ground in its fight against the armed groups.

The army soldiers launched deadly attacks on the targets of the rebels in Khirbet Sultana and Hamrit in Damascus countryside, killing and injuring scores of them.

Meanwhile, the militants suffered major losses in the areas of al-Rastan, Rajm al-Qasr, al-Sauma’a, Talbiseh, Unq al-Hawa and Um Sahrij in Homs when the army made advances in Homs province.

Also, Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad said that the Damascus government may hold talks with the opposition representatives in Moscow on January 27-29.

“Russia has already made contacts regarding the talks,” Mekdad said.

It is reported that representatives of Syrian opposition groups will meet with Russian public figures in Moscow on January 27.

The meeting may be followed by negotiations between the opposition and Syrian government officials on January 27-29.

Meantime, French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said that at least 380 French nationals are linked to the ISIL Takfir group operating in Iraq and Syria.

He said there are at least 380 French nationals who are fighting for ISIL.

“About 60 of the militants have died and another 180 are believed to be en route to Iraq and Syria to join the Takfiri group,” Cazeneuve added.

French authorities estimate that there are about 200 French nationals who have returned to France after participating in terror activities around the world.

Meanwhile, German authorities said some 3,000 citizens of western European countries, including 400 Germans, have joined ISIL with 1,132 of them being French nationals.

Cazeneuve also expressed the need to close websites since 90 percent of them were recruited through the internet.