Terrorists kill dozens civilians near Syria capital, Damascus

Dozens of people have been killed by al-Qaeda-linked terrorists in a countryside of the Syrian capital, Damascus, reports said.

According to the local sources, the violence took place in Adraa al-Omalia on Thursday.

The sources added that terrorists affiliated to the al-Qaeda-linked al-Nusra Front and the so-called Jaysh al-Islam carried out the attack.

At least 20 members of the Alawite sect were killed and a number of others kidnapped in the raid.

The militants also attacked government buildings and the main police station in the area, killing a number of policemen.

The development came as the Syrian army is conducting successful operations across the country.

On Tuesday, Syria government forces captured the strategic town of Yabrud, near the border with Lebanon.

Army troops also took control of the strategic Damascus-Homs highway after seizing most of the town of al-Nabk in the Qalamoun region.

Syria has been gripped by deadly unrest since March 2011.

Foreign Policy magazine reported on Tuesday that more than 5,000 foreign militants are fighting against the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, adding the figure is “higher than any previous conflict in the modern history of the Muslim world.”

The report also warned of a series of consequences, including the strengthening of “radicals” in their home countries and “extremists linked to al-Qaeda terror network in Syria.”