Hezbollah, Syrian Army Liberate New Parts of Zabadani

Syria’s official SANA news agency reported on Saturday that the allied forces stepped up operations in various areas of Zabadani, tightening the noose around the terrorists in the middle of the town.

A number of the militants, including a notorious commander identified as Ziad Nassif, were killed in the Friday operation, the report said, adding that three others were also captured.

Syrian troops and Hezbollah fighters had already made some inroads in Zabadani, clearing the militants from key areas in the town.

Zabadani, a strategic border town located 50 kilometers (31 miles) northwest of the Syrian capital Damascus, has in the last five weeks been a scene of fierce clashes between the warring sides trying to bring it under their control.

The Syrian army and the Hezbollah fighters have inflicted heavy losses on the terrorist groups.

Syria has been fighting against massive foreign-sponsored militancy since March 2011. The conflict has reportedly killed some 240,000 people so far, including nearly 11,500 children.

The crisis has also forced over 3.8 million Syrians to take refuge in neighboring countries, including Jordan and Lebanon. Over 7.2 million others have been displaced within Syria, according to the United Nations.