Syrian army kills over 1000 militants in Lattakia

The Syrian army has killed hundreds of foreign-backed militants in the Western parts of the country in the last 24 hours, informed sources said. The army units killed more than 1,000 terrorists in Lattakia countryside in Western Syria, an informed source told FNA on Tuesday. Also in the past 24 hours, Syrian army troops recaptured a key position in Lattakia countryside. "Syrian army units have full control of Observatory 45 in the north of Lattakia province and are continuing to pursue terrorist groups," the Syrian state broadcaster said, citing the military. Observatory 45 is a strategic hilltop that overlooks several areas inhabited by residents from the Alawite community. Also, Syrian Deputy Foreign and Expatriates Minister Faissal Mikdad said despite Syria’s commitment to its obligations on chemical weapons destruction some countries are trying to politicize this file and support the terrorist groups that are committing the most hideous crimes in Syria. Mikdad discussed with Chairperson of the joint mission of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and UN in Syria, Sigrid Kaag, the latest developments with regard to the chemical weapons elimination. Meantime, foreign-backed insurgents operating in Syria fled to neighboring countries of Turkey and Lebanon, as government forces made fresh advances in different areas of the country. Also, Syrian troops continued with their mopping-up operations in the strategic port city of Lattakia forcing armed insurgents on the outskirts of the major city to flee to neighboring Turkey. Meantime, Citizens in Qetineh town and the adjacent villages in Homs countryside took to the streets on Monday in support of the Syrian army's war on terrorism. Elsewhere, units of the Syrian armed forces targeted militant groups in several areas and destroyed their weapons and hideouts. A unit of the armed forces killed all members of a militant group in al-Mlaiha al-Gharbiyeh in Daraa countryside and destroyed their weapons and ammunition, a military source said. The source added that terrorist Saad-eddin Qaloush, the leader of the armed group was identified among the dead. Meantime, units of the army and the armed forces thwarted an infiltration attempt by a militant group from al-Ghasbiah village into al-Dwair in Homs countryside, a military source said. The source said that a number of militant group's members were killed and wounded. Elsewhere, the Syrian army launched a series of fresh operations in Damascus countryside on Monday to tighten its grip over the foreign-backed militants in Al-Qalamoun region. The army units began their military operations in Al-Qalamoun region after they regained control over Felita and Raas Al-Ma'areh on Sunday and the Yabroud region earlier in the month. The Syrian army is now in the final stage of gaining full control over Al-Qalamoun concurrent with its victories in the Lattakia countryside in the Western parts of the country.