Syrian army retakes key town near capital

The Syrian army has regained the control of a key town near the capital Damascus.
The official SANA news agency quoted military officials as saying on Thursday that the army recaptured the town of al-Thawra in al-Kiswah district, which is located in Damascus countryside.
The army also reportedly destroyed a large cache of weapons.
The development came after Syria’s presidential election, which ended in Basher al-Assad’s landslide victory.
Analysts believe that the election will boost the army’s morale in its fight against the militants.
Over the past months, the Syrian army has achieved major victories in its battle against Takfiri groups across the Arab country, particularly in the western region of Qalamoun near the Lebanese border.
In relevant remarks, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said on Thursday that the clout of supporters of terrorists operating inside Syria is in decline and that in the wake of the June 3 presidential election, Western sponsors of terrorists will lose their power.
The Syrian army also gained more ground in the Damascus countryside on Wednesday near the key town of al-Mleha.
Army units retook the town’s northern and eastern parts following a daylong clash with militants.
Syria has been gripped by deadly violence since March 2011. According to reports, the Western powers and their regional allies — especially Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Turkey — are supporting the militants operating inside Syria.