Syrian army retakes 3 towns near Damascus, kills many rebels

Syrian army forces continued the battle against foreign-backed militants around the capital, retaking three towns near Damascus. The government forces drove out militants from the towns of al-Sabeineh al-Kubra, al-Sabeineh al-Sughra and Ghazal on Thursday. Military sources say the three towns were among the most important positions for militants on Damascus’ outskirts, and militants in Southern capital have practically all their supply routes cut off now, Al-Alam reported. The operation took nine consecutive days, during which a large number of militants were killed. The takeover came weeks after the recapture of nearby Hussainiyeh, Ziabiyeh and Bweida areas. Syria has been gripped by deadly unrest since 2011. According to reports, the Western powers and their regional allies -- especially Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey -- are supporting the militants operating inside Syria. According to the United Nations, more than 100,000 people have been killed and millions displaced in the violence. The UN recently warned against the humanitarian situation in Syria, saying that over nine million people are in need of urgent aid due to the crisis in the Middle-Eastern country.