Syrian forces make new territorial advances in Dara’a, Quneitra

Syrian government forces, backed by allied fighters from popular defense groups, have made fresh territorial gains against terrorists from the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group in the country’s southwestern provinces of Dara'a and Quneitra, liberating nearly two dozen towns and villages.

Syria’s official news agency SANA reported that Syrian army units and their allies lobbed artillery rounds and mortar shells at militant positions on the outskirts of Tasil and Tal al-Jomou’ towns, inflicting heavy losses on the ranks of the foreign-sponsored extremists.

Earlier, a Syrian military source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Syrian army soldiers had established full control over 21 towns and villages, namely al-Rafid, Rasm al-Hassan, Northern al-Hayran, Southern al-Hayran, al-Bassa and al-Bakkar, in Dara’a and Quneitra following fierce clashes with militants.

The source added that a large number of foreign-backed militants were killed in the counter-terrorism operations, and their military equipment destroyed.

Meanwhile, the so-called Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the bodies of 16 soldiers, who had been killed in battles against Takfiri terrorists, were uncovered on Tuesday in a mass grave Dara’a province.

The Britain-based monitoring group reported that the Syrian government troops had been killed in the southeastern Sahweh area of the province back in 2013.

SS