Key Damascus suburb witnesses most intense clashes since 2013
The Damascene suburb of Qudsiyah witnessed its heaviest clashes since early 2013 on Tuesday after a group of militants from the Free Syrian Army (FSA) and Jabhat Fateh Al-Sham (formerly Al-Nusra Front) attacked a Syrian Arab Army (SAA) checkpoint.
According to an Al-Masdar correspondent in Damascus, a group of Islamist rebels attacked one of the Syrian Arab Army’s checkpoints in the Al-Khayateen area, killing 6 soldiers before they could respond to the militant aggression.
As a result of this surprise attack by the Islamist rebels, the Syrian Arab Army’s High Command sent in their Republican Guard units to recapture the Al-Khayateen area; this would result in a violent battle that would last for several hours on Tuesday.
Finally, the Syrian Armed Forces were able to surround the 2 Islamist rebel groups at 2 buildings inside the Al-Khayateen area.
The Syrian Armed Forces demanded that these militants surrender themselves; however, they would ultimately refuse, which led to the death of over 20 Islamist rebels.
Al-Khayateen was eventually recaptured by the Syrian Armed Forces, but the Republican Guard and their tanks have remained inside Qudsiyah.
The Syrian Armed Forces issued one last warning to the Islamist rebels about instigating violence in Qudsiyah; if they do it again, the army will attack their positions inside the suburb.
