The Syrian government forces have made more gains in clearing the areas around the capital Damascus of foreign-backed militants, inflicting heavy losses on them, Press TV<\/b> reports.\n<\/p>\n
The Syrian armed forces have been launching attacks against the militants’ hideouts in the town of al-Moadamia, an area in the capital’s countryside, a Press TV correspondent reported.\n<\/p>\n
Al-Moadamia, which has been a stronghold of the insurgents for several months, is located next to the highway linking Damascus with the occupied Golan Heights.\n<\/p>\n
The mountains surrounding al-Moadamia are main factor that the troops are succeeding against the militants.\n<\/p>\n
Syrian army\u00e2\u201e\u00a2s tanks and heavy machineguns fired the militant hideouts from the nearby mountains to pave the way for the ground troops.\n<\/p>\n
Syrian soldiers are making advances on daily basis. Syria\u00e2\u201e\u00a2s National Defense forces and army units are moving ahead according to a plan meant to surround the militants in the town.\n<\/p>\n
\u00c5\u201cWe are clearing al-Moadamia from the terrorists, and have stopped them from gaining more ground towards Damascus,\u201d an army official told Press TV.\n<\/p>\n
\u00c5\u201cIn this area we are fighting al-Nusra Front and al-Qaeda militants, from one room to other. We are chasing them down,\u201d he added.\n<\/p>\n
Al-Moadamia is only three kilometers away from al-Mezzeh highway, which goes to the heart of the capital.\n<\/p>\n
The town is also a safe haven for other armed groups fighting against the government forces in Darayya province.\n<\/p>\n
The Syrian army says it would be a major blow to the militants if army units retake the area.\n<\/p>\n
The government troops have recently conducted successful clean-up operations across the country.\n<\/p>\n
The Syrian army\u00e2\u201e\u00a2s push against the militants rattled their sponsors.\n<\/p>\n
Syrian Information Minister Omran al-Zoubi said on June 26 that Saudi Arabia is trembling with fear because of the Syrian Army\u00e2\u201e\u00a2s recent gains against the militants.\n<\/p>\n
In a meeting with US Secretary of State John Kerry in Jeddah on June 25, Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal insisted that the militants in Syria must be armed with anti-aircraft and anti-tank weapons.\n<\/p>\n
Zoubi said that the Saudi weapons and money is the main reason behind bloodshed in Syria, adding that Faisal \u00c5\u201cis lost in the Syrian blood.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
Syria has been gripped by deadly unrest since 2011. According to the United Nations, more than 100,000 people have been killed and millions of others displaced in the violence.\n<\/p>\n
GJH\/AS
\n<\/p>\n