Syria troops recapture medieval castle near Homs
Iran Press TV
Thu Mar 20, 2014 2:39PM GMT
Syrian government forces have managed to recapture a famous medieval castle near the western city of Homs after heavy fighting with militants surrounding the area.
The Syrian army took control of Qal'at al-Hisn near the Homs countryside on Thursday, following clashes which left tens of militants dead.
The latest army inroad on foreign-backed militants follows Syrian forces' other achievements in the country's west, including in the cities of Yabrud and Homs.
Backed by the Lebanese resistance movement, Hezbollah, Syrian forces on Sunday pushed back foreign-backed militants from Yabroud, the last major militant stronghold in the Qalamoun region.
Meanwhile, Syrian troops are clearing the strategic mountains, forcing dozens of Takfiri militants in the area to flee toward the Lebanese border.
Syrian troops have been on the offensive over the past months there, aiming to cut militant lines across the border.
The latest losses prompted militants to launch mortar shells that targeted a school in Homs earlier in the day. The retaliatory attack killed four children and left 19 others injured.
Syria has been experiencing deadly violence since 2011. Some sources say around 140,000 people have been killed and millions displaced due to the foreign-backed militancy.
The Western powers and their regional allies -- namely Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Turkey -- are reportedly supporting the militants operating inside Syria.
MRS/SS
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