Army takes control of strategic road in southern Syria

The Syrian army regained control of a road used by militants to send bomb-laden cars from Syria to Lebanon. The Syrian army units took full control of a road which linked villages in Al-Qalamoun region in Southern Syria to Arsal region in Lebanon and the militants took the road to send their bomb-laden vehicles to Lebanon for suicide bombings. Meantime, other Syrian army units made considerable advances in Al-Sahl region near Al-Jarajir town. On Saturday, informed military sources said that the Syrian army has triumphed in the recent battle in Yabroud in Damascus countryside, adding that the army is only a few days away from concluding the battle in Al-Qalamoun region as well. “The Syrian army is about to end the Al-Qalamoun battle in the next few days,” a Syrian military source told FNA. He reiterated that the army has made major advances in Faliteh and regained control over Ras Marmaroun and Ras Al-Aqabeh towns, meaning that the Al-Qalamoun battle has come close to its end and it will be wrapped up in the coming days. “The Syrian army has also managed to win control over the militants' strategic regions of Jarajir and Ras Al-Ain and then moved towards Al-Sahl near Yabroud town in Damascus countryside,” the military source said. He added that army troops have now won back full control over Al-Jarajir, Ras Al-Ain and Al-Sahl regions. On Friday, the Syrian army continued its campaign in Qalamoun after it controlled the areas of Rima Farms and Jarajir which borders the Lebanese town of Arsal. The conflict in Syria started in March 2011, when sporadic pro-reform protests turned into a massive insurgency following the intervention of western and regional states. The unrest, which took in terrorist groups from across Europe, the Middle-East and North Africa, has transpired as one of the bloodiest conflicts in recent history. As the foreign-backed insurgency in Syria continues without an end in sight, the US government has boosted its political and military support to Takfiri extremists. Washington has remained indifferent to warnings by Russia and other world powers about the consequences of arming militant groups.