Syrian army clears most of Latakia

Syrian soldiers have successfully pushed back militants from most of the coastal province of Latakia as they continue their anti-terrorist operations throughout the area.
On Tuesday, the army regained control of almost all parts of the northern countryside of the Latakia city.
A large number of militants were killed in latest operations.
Military officials say they are now getting closer to the Salma village, which is the last bastion of Takfiri extremists in the region.
The Latakia Province has been the scene of fierce fighting between the two sides in recent days.
On Monday, the Syrian army recaptured the villages of Hambousheyah, al-Ballouta and Sheikh Nabhan in the province.
“The Syrian troops eradicated the militants who [had] infiltrated into these villages and committed crimes of slaughtering, looting and assaulting the local residents,” said a Syrian military source, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
On August 17, the Syrian army restored security in the villages of Shakouhi and Abu-Makkah in the northern countryside of Latakia.
The war in Syria started in March 2011, when pro-reform protests turned into a massive insurgency following the intervention of Western and regional states.
The unrest, which took in terrorist groups from across Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, has transpired as one of the bloodiest conflicts in recent history.
As the foreign-backed insurgency in Syria continues without an end in sight, the US government has boosted its political and military support to Takfiri extremists.