Search For Keyword.

Militants show resistance in southern Damascus as regime forces step up attacks

 (Zaman Al Wasl)- Pro-regime Palestinian paramilitary group mourned three officers said they had been killed by former al-Qaeda group as the regime stepped up efforts to wipe out the insurgency's last foothold south of the capital.

The Militia of Fateh al-Intifada has engaged in fierce clashes with Tahrir al-Sham and Daesh in the Palestinian refugee camp of Yarmouk and al-Hajar al-Aswad district.

Tahrir al-Sham said it had killed more than 20 Palestinian fighters loyal to Bashar al-Assad since the clashes erupted four days ago.

On Sunday, the regime warplanes carried out fresh air strikes on the southern neighborhoods of Damascus. Local activists said more than 200 raids were conducted since Thursday.

Thick clouds of smoke rose from the al-Hajar al-Aswad district as the sound of jets could be heard overhead in the live broadcasts from the area.

The area is part of an enclave just south of Damascus that includes Yarmouk camp and is controlled by militant insurgents from Daesh (ISIS) and the Nusra Front.

It is adjoined by a pocket held by other rebel groups fighting under the Free Syrian Army banner.

Bashar Assad, backed by Iran and Russia, is seeking to crush the last few besieged rebel enclaves, building on the defeat of insurgents in the eastern Ghouta region, which was the rebels' last major stronghold near the capital.

Rebel fighters on Saturday began to withdraw from an enclave they held northeast of Damascus in the eastern Qalamoun region in a surrender agreement with the government. They are being transported to opposition-held territory at the Turkish border.

Although the conquest of eastern Qalamoun and the enclave south of Damascus will leave just one remaining besieged rebel enclave, north of the city of Homs, large parts of Syria at the borders with Jordan, Israel, Turkey and Iraq remain outside Assad's control.

Anti-Assad rebels hold a chunk of territory in the southwest and the northwest, and Kurdish-led militias, backed by the United States, control an expanse of northern and eastern Syria. (With Agencies)

Zaman Al Wasl
(61)    (56)
Total Comments (0)

Comments About This Article

Please fill the fields below.
*code confirming note