Syrian army regains control of strategic regions in Damascus

The Syrian army made major advances in Damascus countryside and regained control of new districts in the region. The militants were pushed back from Al-Zamir Farms in Kafr Batna of Douma countryside. The army units also pushed back the foreign-backed terrorists from Jobar town. Also in the past 24 hours, the Syrian army took back control of its Battalion 74 Headquarters in Daraa in Southern Syria. The Syrian army regained control of Al-Jabiyeh strategic hill in Daraa as well. The army units thwarted infiltration attempts of anti-government groups into its strongholds in Nawa town in Daraa countryside, killing and wounding many rebels in the battlefield. Military sources told the state news agency that the Syrian soldiers also targeted a convoy of insurgents' vehicles loaded with weapons and ammunitions near al-Masarah town. Several insurgents were also killed in a series of operations by the Syrian armed forces on al-Sabil-Edwan road in the Western countryside of Daraa. Also, thousands of citizens in Damascus' countryside took to the streets to show their strong support for the Syrian Army's war on terrorism, and called on the nation from all walks of life to participate in the June presidential elections. Civil activities, Workers' Union and the branch of al-Baath Party organized a festival at May 29 Street in Damascus. The participants in the rally extended full support for the Syrian army and the June 3 presidential elections. "We are committed to building a pluralistic democratic state and consolidating the concepts of citizenship and the rule of law," they said. Meantime, the Eastern Ghouta branch of al-Baath Party held a rally in Jaramana city in Damascus Countryside. The participants said that Syria is going through an important stage in its democratic life as it facing huge challenges in terms of restoring security and stability to the country, preserving national sovereignty and rebuilding Syria. Also, media reports said that the Syrian embassy in Amman will open its doors for Syrians residing in Jordan to cast their ballots in the upcoming Syrian presidential elections, slated for May 28. Some 1.3 million Syrian refugees are currently living in Jordan, accounting for about 20 percent of the country's population, the Jordanian government said earlier in May, adding that those refugees have brought a hung amount of pressure on the country in terms of water, energy and health service. Despite a strong show of support for President Bashar al-Assad and the government- sponsored elections, Syria's opposition has continued to reject the legitimacy of the process amid the ongoing crisis in the country, citing that millions of Syrians, who have been internally and externally displaced, cannot participate in the voting. Meantime, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas condemned any form of foreign interference in Syria's internal affairs, and underlined vital importance of national dialogue and the June 3 presidential election as two main pivots to end the nearly 3-year-long bloodshed in the country. In an official letter to his Syrian counterpart Bashar al-Assad, Abbas extended his support for the Syrian government and expressed hope that the crisis in the country would end in near future, the Syrian Arab News Agency reported. He further appreciated the Syrians' hospitality towards the Palestinian refugees over the past years.