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Syrian troops continue making gains against militants

04 September 2013 04:28 (UTC +04:00)

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.

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.

The mountains surrounding al-Moadamia are main factor that the troops are succeeding against the militants.

Syrian army’s tanks and heavy machineguns fired the militant hideouts from the nearby mountains to pave the way for the ground troops.

Syrian soldiers are making advances on daily basis. Syria’s National Defense forces and army units are moving ahead according to a plan meant to surround the militants in the town.

“We are clearing al-Moadamia from the terrorists, and have stopped them from gaining more ground towards Damascus,” an army official told Press TV.

“In this area we are fighting al-Nusra Front and al-Qaeda militants, from one room to other. We are chasing them down,” he added.

Al-Moadamia is only three kilometers away from al-Mezzeh highway, which goes to the heart of the capital.

The town is also a safe haven for other armed groups fighting against the government forces in Darayya province.

The Syrian army says it would be a major blow to the militants if army units retake the area.

The government troops have recently conducted successful clean-up operations across the country.

The Syrian army’s push against the militants rattled their sponsors.

Syrian Information Minister Omran al-Zoubi said on June 26 that Saudi Arabia is trembling with fear because of the Syrian Army’s recent gains against the militants.

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.

Zoubi said that the Saudi weapons and money is the main reason behind bloodshed in Syria, adding that Faisal “is lost in the Syrian blood.”

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.