Rebels kill top commander of NDF militia near Mleiha, east Damascus

(Zaman Alwasl)- Top commander of pro-regime National Defence Forces has been killed by a landmine explosion near al-Mleiha town, east Damascus, activists said Monday.

 Captain. Rudein Ali Issa was NDF leader of Damascus Southern Front. 

For months, Bashar al-Assad’s forces backed by the Lebanese Shia group, Hezbollah has been battling to recapture al-Mleiha, a strategic rebel bastion.

Mleiha has been under siege for more than a year, and under near-constant bombardment for months.