Syria army troops gain new ground near Damascus

The Syrian army has gained more ground in its fight against foreign-backed Takfiri militants near the capital, Damascus, amid ongoing heavy clashes between the two sides across the country, Press TV reports.

On Saturday, Syrian army troops managed to regain full control of several areas in the city of Mulayhah, located approximately 9 kilometers (5.5 miles) southeast of Damascus.

The government forces also discovered a network of tunnels in the city, which were used by the militants to carry out terrorist attacks.

Moreover, units of the Syrian army pounded militant positions in East Gouta region on the outskirts of Damascus.

Syrian army forces also killed many terrorists and destroyed their hideouts in the towns of Taldou, Burj al-Qa’i and Kafr Laha in the central province of Homs.

Additionally, Syrian military forces thwarted an infiltration attempt by foreign-backed militants to enter the country through its border with neighboring Lebanon. The incident occurred on Saturday when government forces opened fire on militants trying to enter Syria across the al-Jibah town in the mountainous al-Qalamoun region near Damascus.

Syrian soldiers also foiled an attempt by the terrorists to attack a military post in the desert region of Palmyra, located 215 kilometers (133 miles) northeast of Damascus, killing and injuring a number of them.

Units of Syrian army also destroyed a number of boats in al-Rastan Lake, located 25 kilometers (16 miles) north of the city of Homs, killing all terrorists on board.

Syria has been gripped by deadly violence since March 2011. Over 160,000 people have reportedly been killed and millions displaced due to the violence fueled by the Western-backed militants.

The West and its regional allies, including Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey, are giving financial and military support to the militants.