Damascus: Terrorists Ready to Hand Over Khan Al-Sheih Town to Syrian Gov’t

“Liberation of most regions near Khan al-Sheih and repelling the entire attacks of the terrorists who sought to lift the siege on Khan al-Sheih by the Syrian army forced the militants to decide to leave the town and hand it over to the government forces,” the sources said.

“Terrorists have requested to be transferred to Dara’a, but Damascus and representatives of the Syrian army have voiced opposition because of the fierce clashes underway in that province,” they added.

Talks between the Syrian army and Fatah al-Sham Front (the al-Qaeda-affiliated terrorist group previously known as the al-Nusra Front) failed last week and terrorists did not agree to leave the town.

In the aftermath of the failure of the talks, the Syrian army increased its attacks on the terrorists’ positions and the siege on Khan al-Sheih was also tightened. Following the army advances, the terrorists agreed relocation to Idlib.

Based on similar plans, Damascus always offers the militants amnesty in return for their surrender or their relocation to Idlib. Thousands of militants in different besieged towns in Western Ghouta, including Moadhamaiyah and Daraya, have taken the chance to receive amnesty or be relocated to Idlib in the last two months.

Reports said on Friday that the Syrian army troops repelled a major attack by the terrorists on their positions in Western Ghouta after inflicting a heavy death toll on invading foes.

The Fatah al-Sham Front sustained a great loss in fighters and military grid and was forced to retreat at the end of a major assault on the positions of the Syrian army in Southwestern Damascus.