Syria in Last 24 Hours: Army Retakes Strategic Towns in Aleppo, Damascus Countrysides

The Syrian army regained control over two strategic towns in the countrysides of Aleppo and Damascus on Friday.
The army took control of Al-Sheikh Ziyyat in Aleppo countryside and Menin in Damascus countryside during the last 24 hours.
Also, the Syrian air force’s fighter jets bombarded concentration centers of armed rebels in Jobar, Jasrin, Douma and Zulmaka towns in Damascus countryside.
In Homs, the Syrian army and the militants signed a cease-fire agreement in Al-Var town for the holy month of Ramadan.
Elsewhere, the army units regained control of regions bordering Lebanon and blocked the arms and supply route to the militants.
Also, the Syrian army, in a series of operations against militants’ hideouts and gatherings in the outskirts of Aleppo and Daraa, killed and wounded large groups of anti-government fighters in the battlefields.
A military source said that the Syrian soldiers stormed militants’ gatherings in Bustan al-Qaser in Aleppo city, during which at least 13 foreign-backed fighters were killed.
The Syrian troops, in Bab al-Nasser, al-Holwanieh, al-Marjeh, al-Sakhour, al-Maisar, al-Enzarat, al-Zerbeh, Azaz, Rasm al-Abboud, al-Shweikha, Mayer and Karm al-Kabal in the province, staged massive attacks on insurgents’ dens, killing and injuring several fighters.
Syrian troops foiled a rebel group’s infiltration attempts from the area of Bilal al-Habashi into a checkpoint near Daraa city, killing all its members.
Army also targeted a long convoy of rebels’ vehicles loaded with weapons and ammunitions on Inkhel-Samlin road.
Militants were also targeted during military operations by army against their gatherings on Attman-Tafas road, near al-Mahja town, in al-Naimeh, near Zamrin and in the towns of in Samlin and Attman in the province.
Syrian soldiers also repelled militants’ infiltration attempts from al-Herak and Attman towns into military checkpoints, killing too many rebels and injuring others.
Meantime, Syrian troops staged massive attacks on the foreign-backed insurgents’ strongholds in various areas across the countryside of Lattakia and Idlib, killing and injuring a large number of anti-Syrian fighters, and wounding several others in the battlefronts. At least 23 militants were killed and many others were injured during army operations in the villages of al-Rabia, al-Moeitmeh and Saqieh in the Northern countryside of Lattakia, a military source said.
As’ad Zreiq, a leader from Al-Nusra Front terrorist group, Ahmad Balsha and explosive expert Ahmad al-Sous were among the killed rebels.
Army also attacked militants’ strongholds in the villages of Deir-Hanna, Ketf al-Roumman and al-Qasab in the coastal province.
Armed forces targeted rebels in the towns of al-Qantara, al-Qasab, al-Hamrat, Drousha, Deir Hanna and Ghmam in the Northern countryside, which left scores of anti-government fighters dead.
In Idlib province, army units targeted insurgents’ gatherings in the villages of Maarzaf, Nahleh, Bennish and Bakfaloun, killing many and injuring many others.
The army also targeted many rebels and injured others in the villages of Om Sahrij, Abo Hawadid and Kharijeh in the province.