Syria forces retake control of 2 towns in Homs Province
Iran Press TV
Fri Nov 15, 2013 12:33PM GMT
Syrian government forces have regained control of two towns in the western Homs Province, and cleared more areas in the Qalamoun Mountains north of the capital, Damascus.
Syrian government forces on Friday drove out foreign-backed militants from Hawarin, in the southeastern Homs countryside, and the bigger town of Mahin, where a major military operation is underway.
Further south, Syrian troops also retook large parts of the strategic Qalamoun Mountains, stretching northeast of the capital city of Damascus.
The latest advances come a day after the army cleared militant hideouts in the ragged, mountainous terrain.
Militant forces have suffered heavy losses in the fighting. They have also called for a mass mobilization to stop government advances on the northwestern province of Aleppo.
According to the UN, more than 100,000 people have been killed and millions displaced in the deadly unrest that has gripped Syria since March 2011.
The Western powers and their regional allies -- especially Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey -- are supporting the militants operating inside Syria.
In May, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said militants from 29 different countries are fighting against his government forces in different parts of the country.
MRS/AB/SS
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