At least 37 Army troops killed in Adra, northeast of Damascus

(Zaman Al Wasl)- At least 37 Syrian regime army troops on Monday have been killed by rebels near a town northeast of Damascus, they took control of it days ago, activists and rebel sources said.

Rebels have ambushed forces loyal to Bashar al-Assad near Adra al-Omalia - 30 km (19 miles) from central Damascus, killing 7 soldiers at least.

Rebels said the skirmishes still taking place near the town which was recaptured by Syrian army on Thursday, with death toll reached 37 in 5 days.

Assad's forces, backed by the Lebanese Shi'ite movement Hezbollah, have been gradually extending control over a corridor of territory from Damascus to the Mediterranean coast this year, seizing towns and villages along the main north-south highway and in the mountainous Qalamoun area along the Lebanese border, according to Reuters.

The advances in Adra al-Omalia show that the government is continuing to press that campaign as U.S.-led forces bombard Islamic State positions elsewhere in the country, Reuters said.

In relevant context, Pro-regime activists reported a state of discontent amid Alawite families who said that Assad army soldiers have looted their houses in Adra.

Some of them mocked saying, “having our houses under terrorists’ control was better, its least our furniture still exist.”                    

Meanwhile, neighboring suburbs of Adra Omalia have witnessed fierce clashes between regime forces and rebels in Irbin where 4 Islamic fighters have been killed, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

Also the clashes continued between the two sides in al-Dokhania near the capital center, according to the Observatory.

Editing by Ridha Ali